Why black aphids are dangerous on cucumbers and how to combat the pest as effectively as possible

Black aphids on cucumbers are one of the dangerous pests that gardeners encounter. Small bugs multiply at lightning speed and infect the leaves. In this article we will talk about the danger posed by insects, signs of infection and effective methods of control using folk remedies, insecticides and biological preparations.

Why are aphids dangerous for cucumbers?

Aphids are insect pests that reproduce at an incredible rate.. Affects all plants except pine needles. Most often found on climbing plants. There are more than 4,000 species of these insects in the world.

Cucumbers are also often affected by black aphids.. If you do not take immediate action after detecting a pest, you may be left without a harvest.

What does it look like

Black aphids are small black bugs, 2-5 mm long.. Adapts to any weather conditions. It spends the winter in the state of eggs, so treatment during this period is considered most effective. During the summer period, the female reproduces more than 10 times (50 eggs in one clutch).

Poses a danger to cucumbers during the period when it can fly. This is due to the fact that insects live in colonies and reproduce quickly. In search of food, the bugs fly to neighboring plants. Colonies accumulate on the upper leaves and never settle on the lower ones, since the bugs cannot bite through the dense tissue of the plant. Therefore, superficial treatment is sufficient to destroy the pest.

Biologists are of the opinion that aphids are brought into the area her faithful companions are ants. Insects feed on honeydew, a sweet liquid secreted by aphids.

The bugs drink the juice from the leaves and cover them with a sticky coating. This leads to disruption of the photosynthesis process and the addition of a bacterial infection.

Symptoms of cucumber damage

The following signs will help you recognize the presence of aphids on cucumbers::

• slower growth and flowering;
• curled, drooping and dry upper leaves;
• areas covered with honeydew;
• ants scurrying around the plant;
• fall of the ovaries;
• wilting of the lower leaves;
• many small black bugs on the back of the leaves.

How to deal with a pest

Gardeners spend a lot of effort fighting pests, especially when the number of insects is off the charts. For this they use homemade folk remedies, chemical and biological preparations.

Manual collection is a rather labor-intensive method of getting rid of aphids, and is suitable in case of minimal damage. After removing the insects, the bushes are watered with boiling water.

About other pests of cucumbers:

How to get rid of whiteflies in a greenhouse on cucumbers

Why do spider mites appear on cucumbers?

How to fight melon aphids quickly and effectively

Traditional methods

Folk remedies are used when the ovary appears. It is not recommended to use chemicals during this period, since the substances are actively absorbed by the rhizome and fruits. You will have to get rid of such a crop.

Experienced gardeners advise use such folk remedies:

1. Infusion of tobacco. Take 400 g of shag and pour 10 liters of boiling water. Cover the bucket with a lid and leave for 48 hours to infuse. Before use, add fine shavings of laundry soap and mix.Use the infusion to irrigate the bushes.
2. Horseradish infusion. Take 8-10 roots, chop and pour 3 liters of boiling water. After 3 hours, pass through the filter. Fill the cake with 3 liters of distilled warm water, after three hours combine both concentrates. Before use, mix 200 ml of infusion with 5 liters of water and spray the plants.
3. Garlic. Take 250 g of garlic, chop and pour 1 liter of clean water. Cover the container with a lid and leave for five days. Irrigate the bushes with the resulting solution.
4. Hot pepper. Finely chop 3 peppers and add to 10 liters of water. Place the bucket in a warm room for 24 hours, then pass the liquid through cheesecloth and mix 60 ml of liquid soap, 150 g of ash, 3 drops of iodine. Pour the solution into a container with a spray bottle and treat the bushes.
5. Mustard. Take 10 g of mustard beans and pour 1 liter of water. After two days, add 800 ml of settled water and treat the bushes.
6. Celandine. Take 300 g of dry grass and pour 10 liters of water. Leave the container in a warm place for two days. Treat the bushes with a sprayer.
7. Dandelion. Finely chop 400 g of roots and 600 g of fresh leaves. Pour in 10 liters of water. After three hours, start irrigating the plants.
8. Yarrow. Take 900 g of herb and pour 2 liters of hot water. Leave for an hour to infuse. Before using the concentrated product, dilute 10 liters of water. For 1 m² you will need 1 liter of solution.
9. Wood ash. Take 60 g of ash and 100 g of laundry soap crumbs. Pour in 10 liters of water and stir. Add 5 drops of tea tree essential oil.
10. Soap solution. Dissolve 125 ml of liquid tar soap in 10 liters of warm water. Use the solution to water the bushes.
11. Onion peel. Take 40 g of raw material and soak it in 3 liters of warm water overnight.Add 5 ml of liquid soap and stir.
12. Soda. For 2 liters of settled water, take 60 g of soda and 18 drops of lavender and cedar essential oil. Irrigate the bushes three times a day until the aphids are completely gone.
13. Milk serum. Use the product undiluted to treat bushes.
14. Table vinegar. Take 1 tsp. vinegar 9% per 1 liter of water and irrigate the plants with the solution.

Chemicals

Chemicals will come to the rescue if traditional methods fail to stop the reproduction of insects. The most effective insecticides include:

1. “Decis” is a contact insecticide that begins to work an hour after treatment.
2. "Inta-Vir" is available in the form of powder and tablets for dilution in water. Quickly kills aphids and whiteflies.
3. "Aktara" is a long-acting drug that begins to work two hours after irrigation.
4. "Tanrek" is a systemic drug. Treatment is carried out once every three weeks.
5. "Danadim" is a slightly toxic insecticide that gets rid of pests in 48 hours.
6. "Confidor" - begins to act three days after irrigating the plants.

Reference. The manufacturer places instructions for use with dosage and frequency of treatment on the packaging.

Biological drugs

These agents are the result of microbiological synthesis with a more aggressive effect., despite the prefix “bio”, but are completely harmless to humans:

1. "Bitoxibacillin" contains special bacteria that infect insects and does not harm the environment.
2. "Aquarin" kills aphids in 48 hours. The product is used no more than three times per season.
3. "Aktofit" affects the nervous system of insects and gets rid of pests in 48 hours.
4. Fitoverm kills pests in three days. Cucumbers can be eaten three days after processing the bushes.
5. "Entobacterin" completely gets rid of insects in a week.
6. "Strela" is a drug with bitoxibacillin as an active ingredient. Completely gets rid of the pest in 10 days.

Features of insect control in a greenhouse

To get rid of aphids when growing cucumbers in a greenhouse use insecticides, biological products and folk remedies. When irrigating with chemicals, respiratory protection is used, since serious poisoning can occur in a closed room.

Additionally use potassium-phosphorus fertilizer. Add 10 g of potassium sulfate and 20 g of superphosphate to 10 liters of water. The resulting mixture is used to irrigate the bushes once every 10 days. Aphids attack strong plants less often than weak ones.

In autumn, remove the top layer of soil or treated with insecticides if this is not possible. When the air temperature in the greenhouse drops to +10 °C, the room is treated with a sulfur bomb. The smoke destroys aphid larvae and bacteria.

It can be useful:

Prevention and treatment methods for peronosporosis of cucumbers

Causes and treatment of mosaic on cucumbers

In the open ground

When growing cucumbers outdoors, the same means are used., as for processing greenhouse plants. As an additional method, leaf mustard and fragrant dill are planted on the site, which attract ladybugs - faithful helpers in the fight against aphids.

The soil on the site is being dug up, remove weeds along with their roots, old rotten stumps and anthills in which black aphids like to overwinter. To repel ants, use Anteater or fill the anthill with hot water.

There is a more humane way - constant loosening of the soil helps to drive away insects that do not like interference in their life.

Advice. Plant marigolds, oregano, daisies, anise, and cumin next to cucumbers to attract beneficial insects.

Preventive measures

To prevent cucumbers from becoming infected, experienced farmers recommend:

• choose varieties that are resistant to insects;
• tighten ventilation holes in greenhouses and greenhouses with gauze or fine mesh;
• cover bushes in open beds with a thin cloth;
• simultaneously fight ants;
• carry out frequent weeding;
• disinfect seeds before sowing;
• treat the soil and greenhouse with disinfecting compounds (potassium permanganate, copper sulfate);
• in the fall, use sulfur bombs for disinfection;
• periodically change spray preparations to prevent addiction;
• do not plant seedlings too densely;
• regularly apply mineral and organic fertilizers.

Tips from summer residents

Experienced gardeners and farmers share recommendations for effective control of black aphids on cucumbers:

1. Inspect the bushes regularly, especially the back of the leaves. At the slightest sign of damage, start irrigating the plants with folk remedies.
2. If homemade infusions and solutions do not produce results, switch to chemical and biological agents.
3. Regularly feed cucumbers with a potassium-phosphorus mixture.
4. At the same time, wage a “war” with the ants, otherwise the aphids will return again and again.
5. Weed the beds from time to time.
6. Remove affected parts of the plant and burn immediately.
7. Rinse the bushes with water from a hose before flowering begins.

Conclusion

Black aphids on cucumbers are a dangerous pest that can cause irreparable damage to the plant and significantly reduce yield. Modern drugs of a chemical and biological nature (Strela, Aquarin, Konfidor, Fitoverm, etc.) help to quickly and effectively get rid of the problem.

An integrated approach using folk remedies (soap solution, infusion of wood ash, herbs, garlic), preventative measures and attracting beneficial insects will help protect the harvest.