How to get rid of spider mites on cucumbers in a greenhouse: proven methods of control and prevention. How to deal with spider mites on cucumbers, how to treat Cucumber spider mite disease and treatment methods

Almost every gardener grows cucumbers, but this culture is not as simple as it might seem. In addition to the requirements for heat, humidity, soil nutrition, cucumbers are also known for easily picking up diseases and are often affected by pests. One of the most dangerous of them is the spider mite: it is able to multiply very quickly, and it is not very easy to deal with it.

Spider mite on cucumbers: what kind of pest is it and why is it dangerous

To save the cucumber crop from the invasion of the tick, it must be detected in time, and this is not easy to do. On each visit to the site, the owner should carefully examine the leaves of cucumbers, having previously familiarized themselves with how the spider mite looks.

The appearance of the spider mite, the degree of its danger

To see a spider mite, you must have excellent eyesight, or at least a good magnifying glass. This is a very small creature, its size is less than a millimeter. The mite is colored brown-orange, has four pairs of legs. Tick larvae have one pair of legs less. They are painted in a greenish color, which in some places gradually turns into a brownish.

At high magnification, you can also see the paws of the tick

Ticks spend winter in the soil, and creep out to the surface of the beds closer to summer, when the amount of greenery necessary for their feeding grows. In summer, they feel best in hot and very dry weather (at a temperature of about 30 ° C and a humidity of not more than 60%). The tick is extremely prolific: each female lays about 100 eggs at a time. In just a few days, larvae appear from them, which soon turn into adults.

The tick lives for no more than a month, but due to the high rate of reproduction it is a great danger.

On cucumber plants, the mite is usually located on the underside of the leaf, as well as on the tops of young shoots (almost like aphids). Piercing the pulp, it sucks the juices from the plants. Having disfigured the leaves, it can move to the stems and even to the fruit ovaries, where it continues its activities. Closer to the ground, the number of ticks is insignificant: it loves the upper, young parts of plants. The tick forms a dense web that entangles the stems and leaves, as a result of which oxygen exchange is disturbed, and the process of photosynthesis stops. The yield is significantly reduced, and in the absence of pest control, the bushes may die altogether.

First of all, the tick destroys the leaves

The tick is able to settle on cucumbers both in unprotected soil and in a greenhouse, and it is even more comfortable in a shelter, because it is warmer there, there is protection from precipitation and winds, and there are no birds capable of fighting it. The tick moves from bed to bed, using pieces of the web created by it, as well as “moving” to animals or even to humans. Therefore, it is impossible to completely protect cucumbers from the invasion of this guest.

Signs of damage to plants by spider mites

Most often, signs of damage are detected before the gardener notices the pests themselves. The results of his harmful activity can be expressed in the following:

Yellowing of leaves in cucumbers is far from being only due to spider mites: many diseases and lack of nitrogen nutrition are to blame for this, but in the case of such a symptom, a thorough examination of the leaves with good glasses or a magnifying glass is required. The fight against the tick should begin immediately after its discovery: unfortunately, it does not always lead to victory.

Spider mite control methods

Many gardeners try not to use chemical plant protection products on their plots, but in the case of a spider mite, especially with a large number of it, this is indispensable. Although, of course, at the initial stage, you can try to do without chemicals.

Folk remedies

Before starting any treatment of plants, one should carefully cut off those fragments that can no longer be restored, and pull out the dead bushes. All residues removed from the garden must be burned. If possible, try to remove the cobwebs from the plants left. If it is relatively small, you can try to use the following "improvised" means:

Infusions can be prepared from:

dandelion (500 g of grass insist half a day in 10 liters of water);
marigolds (100 g of flowers per 1 liter of water, several days);
onions, garlic (200 g of husks are insisted for at least a day in 10 liters of water).

Decoctions are prepared, for example, from the leaves of yarrow or dope. Spraying is carried out repeatedly with an interval of several days in cloudy weather. It should be recognized that spraying cucumbers with folk remedies against spider mites is often ineffective. If after the second treatment the amount of the pest does not decrease, it is urgent to turn to purchased preparations.

Chemical and biological agents

Most chemicals are toxic to humans to one degree or another, and besides, pests quickly adapt to old remedies, so they constantly invent new ones. In this regard, gardeners often turn to biological agents: their action is based on the action of microorganisms. Recently, the following drugs have become popular:

Any treatment should be carried out taking into account the toxicity of the drug, that is, using personal protective equipment (clothes, goggles, respirator). Usually, the death of ticks begins 6-10 hours after the procedure, the drug is effective for 1-2 weeks.

Having found a tick on my cucumbers this year, I was afraid that I was late, there were so many of them. Fortunately, there was a bag of Fitoverma in the box. Arriving at the dacha a week later, I could not believe my eyes. A lot of young clean leaves appeared on the bushes, and the pests disappeared.

The most effective drugs against any ticks are acaricides, they destroy not only adult pests, but also their larvae, acaricides even affect egg laying. However, for humans, these drugs are very dangerous, and they should be used only as a last resort. This, for example, Apollo, Floramayt, etc. Thus, Apollo is positioned as a specific acaricide, highly effective in the fight against many types of ticks. This is one of the safest acaricides for people. The effect of Floramite on ticks is similar, but the degree of its danger to humans is the subject of heated debate: in Europe, after its use, control over the residual content of the drug in fruits is mandatory.

Video: fight against spider mites

Prevention measures

Preventive measures include:

The spider mite is a polyphagous pest. It damages many cultivated and weed plants, as well as flowers, shrubs and trees. It is widely distributed both in greenhouses and in the open field. It is quite common in vegetable gardens and it is rather difficult to deal with spider mites on cucumbers.

If you do not fight the spider mite, then the cucumbers may die.

What does a spider mite look like

The spider mite belongs to the arachnids. It is a dangerous and co-cultivated crop with it.

This is what a spider mite looks like on cucumbers when magnified

Under favorable conditions, about 10 generations of pests appear per season. Therefore, the fight against spider mites is not always successful.

Spider mite spread

Spider mites can be carried by the wind, from contaminated soil, from purchased seedlings. Very often, plants purchased in nurseries are infected with mites. It is widely distributed in greenhouses there. Therefore, all purchased seedlings, before being planted in the country, must be kept in quarantine in a bright and dry room for several days. Ticks, if any, will definitely show themselves.

The spider mite practically does not damage plants with pubescent leaves, since it is difficult for it to eat in such conditions. Arachnids never attack marigolds, calendula, onions, garlic.

Of wild plants, the pest does not attack chamomile, celandine, wormwood, tansy, yarrow, dandelion.

Does not touch the tick and mustard, basil, parsley. All other cultivated and wild plants suffer from the attack of the spider mite.

Wintering pests in the spring initially feed on weeds and only then, when planting cultivated plants, they get on them with the wind, soil, through the working tools and clothes of the summer resident.

In greenhouses, when monoplanting cucumbers, they are very common and quickly spread through plants. Therefore, it is necessary to start fighting the spider mite as soon as the pest is discovered.

When growing cucumbers with tomatoes together, they do not spread as quickly, since tomatoes are not a very desirable crop for them. They also damage her, but less often and not so much.

This is how the leaves of cucumbers affected by a tick look like.

Nature of damage

In addition to damage to cucumbers, the tick is a carrier of various diseases, in particular the cucumber mosaic virus.

Ways to deal with ticks in the open field

Measures to combat the tick on cucumbers depend on the number of the pest and the air temperature. In open ground, it is entirely dependent on external conditions. Therefore, outdoor cucumbers are always less damaged than in the greenhouse.

When growing cucumbers in open ground, arachnids initially appear on weeds and only then move on to cucumbers. Therefore, weed control is the most important measure for controlling spider mites on the street.

How to deal with a pest in a greenhouse

In a greenhouse, when a spider mite is found on cucumbers, the fight against it must begin immediately, otherwise it can destroy all plants in a week.

Folk methods

The use of tomato tops for processing cucumbers. 1 kg of tops is poured with boiling water, insisted for a day and filtered. 20-30 g of laundry soap is added to the finished solution as an adhesive. Processing is carried out on the underside of the leaves when a pest appears.
Use of predatory spiders. They are sold in specialized stores. True, this is still a rarity, but some summer residents use this safe and effective method. Predators do not damage cucumbers, they feed exclusively on insects and arachnids, including spider mites. But here it should be borne in mind that the cucumbers will be in the web, since all arachnids weave these "webs". This exotic method is used only for mass reproduction of the pest in a dry, hot summer by fanatical fans of ecological farming. The method is quite expensive, but effective.

Such exotic control measures can also be used against ticks.

There are no other sufficiently effective folk remedies in the fight against ticks. Therefore, when a pest is detected, it is better to immediately apply pesticides.

Prevention

Crop rotation in the greenhouse. Cucumbers are the pest's favorite delicacy. He eats tomatoes, peppers and eggplants not so actively. On tomatoes and eggplant, the tick has difficulty reproducing, since the leaves of these crops are pubescent. The tick will eat pepper last, with a lack of food supply.
In open ground, crop rotation is also necessary.
Mowing weeds around the perimeter of the greenhouse and borage, since the pest first settles there.
Trim and burn any damaged leaves.
Plant plants around the perimeter of the beds with cucumbers that repel the pest.

And yet, prevention does not help much in the fight against ticks, since they can be carried by the wind. It is necessary to inspect cucumbers every few days, and at the first signs of damage, use at least biological preparations.

Personal experience with spider mites

In a greenhouse with cucumbers, a spider mite rarely starts up for me, because there is high humidity, which he does not like. In addition, until mid-June, seedlings of marigolds grow there, the leaf secretions of which are not tolerated by ticks. With the joint growth of cucumbers and marigolds, there was never a spider mite.
After marigolds were planted in the ground, pests on greenhouse cucumbers sometimes still appeared. If they have not yet spread, then the affected leaves are immediately removed and burned. I pollinate the cucumbers themselves and the ground around them with ash or tobacco dust.
If the moment is missed and the arachnids have already spread throughout the greenhouse, then I immediately use “heavy artillery” - I treat it with Sunmite. It reliably destroys the tick at all stages and well protects cucumbers from its reappearance.
When arachnids appear in the open field, it is somewhat more difficult to deal with them. Usually, for prevention, I dust cucumbers with ash or tobacco dust, but this method is ineffective on the street, since the protective dust is quickly washed off by rain or when watering.

Spider mite is a dangerous pest that affects cucumbers in the garden and greenhouse. Small colonies grow at a tremendous speed and completely capture the plantings. Already seven days after the appearance of a spider mite on the site, it can be detected by traces of vital activity on the greenery. Then a cobweb appears on the leaves, in which colonies of insects are located.

In this material, we will consider in detail the main methods of dealing with spider mites on cucumbers in a greenhouse. Let's talk about effective insecticides, biological preparations, folk remedies and frequency of use. You will learn how to use agricultural practices to prevent infection of cucumbers in an enclosed space.

The spider mite (Tetranychinae) is a polyphagous pest that feeds on plants indoors and outdoors. It causes the greatest harm to plantings in greenhouses. The enclosed space creates ideal conditions for an increase in the arachnid population.

The small size of the tick, only 1 mm, does not allow you to immediately recognize it. Colonies can only be detected when examining the back of the leaves with a strong magnifying glass.

The color of the calf is red, green-yellow, orange, milky-transparent. Wintering females are large, red or red. Males have a more elongated body. Some individuals with enhanced nutrition reach a size of 2 mm.

Soft-bodied spiders have an ellipsoidal shape, the upper part of the body is convex, the lower one is leveled, flatter. Larvae are transparent, light green or green-brown in color with dark spots on the sides. Adults have four pairs of legs.

Females are fertile and lay up to 500 eggs every 3-4 hours. Eggs have a rounded shape, immediately after laying - white-yellow or milky-transparent. During the year, individuals go through up to 12 cycles of development. Fertilized eggs produce females, unfertilized eggs produce males.

The rate of development of embryos depends on the air temperature in the greenhouse: at +15°С - 15 days, at +30°С - 48-72 hours. The total life expectancy directly depends on temperature indicators and varies from 2 to 8 days. This feature is taken into account during the processing of plants.

With the onset of cold weather, nymphs (pupas) leave for wintering in the form of non-feeding females. Some of them move from the bushes to other places for wintering. Some seek refuge below, others take refuge in the upper part of the greenhouse. Therefore, the treatment of plants, unfortunately, does not guarantee the complete destruction of the pest.

In the photo - a spider mite.

The reasons

the appearance of ticks on cucumber plantings in a greenhouse - heat and low humidity. The pest feels comfortable at a temperature of + 30 ° C and above. Most often found in the southern regions when growing cucumbers on the balcony.

Most actively, arachnids reproduce on fattening plants (gaining green mass to the detriment of fruits). Fattening occurs for a number of reasons, but most often with an excess of nitrogen in the soil.

The pest settles in the dried remains of plants that have not been removed from the site. From them, he moves to cucumber bushes. In spring, when the air temperature rises to + 10°C, the females begin to actively lay eggs on the back side of the leaves.

First, the pest occupies the upper leaves, then moves to the lower part of the bushes. Often gardeners do not pay attention to the lower leaves. But it is they who become the main breeding ground for spider mites.

Signs of appearance

The main food of the pest is plant cells. The main sign of its presence is small white dots on the back of the leaves.. A little later, a thin cobweb appears, like a veil braiding the bushes.

With severe damage, the leaves turn white from numerous injuries. On the tips of leaves and shoots, you can see hordes of small, moving pests.

As a result of cell destruction, the process of photosynthesis is disrupted. The plant weakens, immunity decreases. Against this background, secondary diseases of cucumbers join. Ticks are the main carriers of gray rot spores.

Control measures for spider mites on cucumbers in a greenhouse

How to get rid of a pest in an enclosed space? For the fight and treatment, chemical, biological preparations, folk remedies, predatory mites (Amblyseius and Fitoseyulus) are used. No less effective are preventive measures.

Chemicals

Chemicals are classified as "heavy artillery". They are used in cases where other methods have not helped. Insecticide quickly cope with the pest, but have a toxic effect on the environment and humans.

The main disadvantage of such spraying is that insects quickly develop resistance. Therefore, it is desirable to change the formulations every 2-3 sprayings.

It is important to remember that one treatment of cucumbers is not enough to completely get rid of insects.

The intervals between irrigation of the bushes depend on the weather. The higher the temperature and the drier the air, the more often the treatments are carried out. In summer, spraying is repeated every seven days. This is how much time the female needs to develop and lay eggs.

Spraying is carried out in the evening, since the scorching sun contributes to the rapid evaporation of substances.

Name	Description	Protection period	Processing frequency
"Plant Pin"	The active substance is butoxycarboxy. The drug is released in sticks, which are immersed in the ground, near the bushes.	1.5 months	1
"Etisso"	The active substance is dimethoate. Nourishes plants and protects against insects. Produced in the form of sticks.	3 months	1
"Apollo"	Sterilizes adults, preventing development. Larvae and eggs are completely destroyed. It has a contact-intestinal effect.	30 days	2
Karbofos	The active ingredient is malathion. Insectoacaricide destroys adults with a direct hit.	7 days	2
"Vertimek"	The active substance is abamectin. Means with contact-intestinal action.	1 month	2
Flumite	Contact-intestinal agent with difluvidazine. Destroys winter laying of eggs.	30 days	1
"Aktellik"	The active ingredient is pyrimifosmethyl. Suspension with a high hazard class. The best drug for spider mites.	10-12 days	2
"Neoron"	Contact-intestinal insecticide with bromopropylate. Destroys ticks with careful spraying of bushes from all sides.	10 – 40 days	1
Nissoran	Contact-intestinal remedy for nymphs and tick larvae, with hexitiazox. The hazard class for bees and people is low.	1.5 months	1
"Omite"	Contact agent with propagite. Affects adults, nymphs and larvae, except for eggs.	2 weeks	2
"Ortus"	Contact insecticide paralyzing action. The active substance is fenpyroximate. Can be combined with pesticides. The active substance is propargite.	15 days	2
"Sunmite"	The contact agent fights the tick at all stages of its development. Has a paralyzing effect. The active substance is pyridaben.	1.5 months	1

Important! When working with Actellik, safety measures are observed. For protection, use a gown, rubber gloves, a mask, goggles.

Biological methods and preparations

Biological agents affect only adults. Therefore, spraying is carried out 3-4 times every week.

The list contains the most environmentally friendly and effective preparations against spider mites, which are approved for use during the period of active fruiting:

"Akarin"- enteric-contact drug with avertin as an active substance. The period of exposure to the tick is 8-16 hours.
"Aktofit", "Kleshchegon", "Kleshchevit", "Fitoverm" with one active substance - aversectin. The neurotoxin enters the body of the insect and paralyzes the nervous system. The drug is not addictive, unlike chemical insecticides.
"Bitoxibacillin"– biological insecticide, contains Bacillus thuringiensis var. thuringiensis. Processing is carried out during the growing season twice a month. The agent does not accumulate in the green mass and fruits.

Reference. High efficiency is shown by treatments with a mixture of Aktofit and Bitoxibacillin.

When growing cucumbers in closed ground, ticks are used for control - Ambliseius and Fitoseiulus. These are natural enemies of the pest. You can buy them in flower shops.

When used correctly, predatory insects can destroy up to 95% of pests. Two weeks before planting cucumbers in the greenhouse, about 50 ambliseius per 1 m² are released in bulk. The life expectancy of an insect is 20-25 days.

The predatory mite phytoseiulus (Phytoseiulus persimilis) is characterized by rapid reproduction and voracity. The effectiveness of the arachnid increases with high humidity and moderate temperature in the greenhouse. With a slight lesion, 10-15 phytoseiulus per 1 m² are released, and with an extensive lesion - 30-40 individuals, closer to the source of infection.

Plants that repel spider mites

Next to the plantings of cucumbers in the greenhouse, plants are planted to repel the pest. The method is used in combination with treatments with biological, chemical preparations and folk remedies. Such plants are not able to cope with the task on their own.

The most effective are: marigold, marigold, wormwood, parsley, mint, garlic, onion, yarrow, cyclamen.

Reference. Moss or bark is used to repel spider mites. Raw materials are treated with boiling water for disinfection and dried. Then they are buried in the ground under the bushes.

Folk remedies

Herbal folk remedies help repel pests, but are not able to completely destroy it. They begin to fight with folk remedies during the period of active fruiting of cucumbers, when acaricides are banned.

Spraying is carried out on the back of the leaves. That is where the pest is hiding.

Name	Preparation and application
Marigold	Fill a bucket halfway with dried flowers and pour warm water over it. Infuse for two days, strain and mix in 50 g of laundry soap shavings. Treat the bushes in the evening in dry weather once a week.
potato tops	Fill a bucket halfway with herbs and pour warm water over it. After 5 hours, strain and process the plantings. Use once a week.
tomato tops	Fill a 10 liter bucket halfway with tops and fill with water. Boil over low heat for 30 minutes, cool and add 40 g of grated tar soap. Dilute the concentrate with water 1:2 and spray the bushes once a week.
Aconite nosy	Prepare an alcohol solution from the roots, leaves or tubers of the plant. Dissolve 100 ml of the product in 1 liter of water and spray the plants once every 7 days.
dandelion roots	30 g of crushed dry roots pour 1 liter of water and leave for 2-4 hours. Water the bushes twice a week.
hogweed	The roots of the plant, collected before or after flowering, dry and pour water (10 liters per 1 kg of raw materials). After 24 hours, the product is ready for use.
Garlic	Chop two heads of garlic and pour 1 liter of warm water. Leave for 5 days, strain before use and dilute with water 1:2.
Datura vulgaris	100 g of dry raw materials pour 1 liter of water. After 12 hours, strain and apply to irrigate the leaves.
onion peel	A few handfuls of husks pour 1 liter of water. Infuse for five days, and dilute with water 1:2.
Gorchak creeping	100 g of dry raw materials pour 1 liter of water, leave for 10 hours. Dilute 1:2 with water before use.

Agricultural practices to prevent infection

Proper cultivation of cucumbers is also effective in pest control:

frequent weeding and loosening of the soil;
moderate watering;
timely introduction of potassium-phosphorus supplements;
control of the level of nitrogen in the soil;
removal of plant residues;
maintaining a distance during planting (sowing);
crop rotation;
disinfection of greenhouses with sulfur checkers;
soil treatment with a 0.5% solution of copper sulfate (50 g per 10 l);
humidity level control (optimally above 80%);
air temperature control (+25-27°С);
selection of cucumbers resistant to spider mites;
removal of the top layer of soil (15-20 cm) and replacement with a new one.

Varieties resistant to spider mites

The most resistant to mite damage are varieties and hybrids with hard fibrous leaves. They do not have complete protection against spider mites, but biologists are working hard in this direction.

Conclusion

To quickly get rid of the poutine mite on cucumbers in the greenhouse, chemicals are used that destroy the pest at all stages of development. It is customary to alternate drugs, as pests quickly develop resistance.

Biological treatments allow you to get environmentally friendly products, but only affect adults. Predatory mites (Amblyseius and Phytoseiulus) do an excellent job and destroy 95% of the spider mite in the greenhouse.

Folk remedies are used to repel pests. Preventive measures are effective before planting seedlings, they prevent the spread of the mite.

If you are interested in the question of how to deal with spider mites on cucumbers, then it is best to choose biological products. It is a great substitute for toxic chemicals. The action of such funds is based on the fact that they contain microorganisms that inhibit the vital processes of ticks. However, these tools also have disadvantages. For example, eggs are not affected by such drugs. The same applies to females that burrow into the soil. Therefore, experts advise repeating the procedure 3-4 times.

The most effective and popular acaricidal preparations are the following:

1. Nisoran. Contains hexythiazox.
2. Sunmite. The main component is pyridaben.
3. Oberon. The main substance is spiromesifen.
4. Flumite. Contains flufenzin.
5. Floromite. Includes bifenazate.
6. Apollo. Based on clofentesine.

For processing open ground, you also need to pay attention to weather conditions. The hotter it is outside, the more often you need to treat.

It is also necessary to first remove the cobweb from the plants, since drops of the solution will linger on it, and not fall on the plant and soil.

The arthropod feeds on the cell sap of a garden crop. Its salivary glands produce enzymes that destroy chloroplasts. Depending on the "food" preferences, there are different types of ticks:

polyphages - indiscriminate in nutrition;
oligophages - prefer only certain species;
monophages - dangerous for one particular culture.

This type of mite causes many plant diseases - for example, gray rot. This is an infection that kills leaves and fruits. In neglected areas, even the stems die off. Diseased shoots lose turgor, photosynthesis stops in them. At high air humidity, the ground part is overgrown with fungal organisms, and spores are spread by wind to neighboring areas, infecting other susceptible crops.

Fruit affected by gray mold

Attention! The spider mite is not dangerous to humans. The only thing to be afraid of is contact with the drugs that plants are treated with.

They may be poisonous.

When affected by an arthropod, the bush stops growing and withers. If you do not take action, after 20 days of the week the plant dies.

If the spider mite is not removed from the garden, crops that are planned to be grown in the same area next year may suffer. When leaf fall begins, many fertilized females sink into the soil and go into diapause. It is the ability to endure adverse external conditions. The body “turns on” the economy mode: the animal hardly moves, does not eat, consumes less oxygen.

The female mite survives in the soil even in severe frosts.

It is very difficult to get rid of the spider mite, as evidenced by the numerous comments of summer residents. Gardeners complain: we fight insects with all possible methods, but no results are visible. No wonder: the enemy is very cunning, and in order to defeat him, you need to stock up on patience and perseverance. The most difficult thing is to notice the appearance of the pest in time. Every 2-3 days, carefully inspect all the plants in the greenhouse, look under each leaf and check if there are cobwebs or reddish insects.

In order for the fight against spider mites to be successful, you need to know all the tricks that help the insect protect itself from poisons and other ways of harmful effects.

What qualities of this species help him to endure all dangers? Nature rewarded ticks:

high fecundity - you destroyed adult insects, but they were replaced by a generation hundreds of times larger in number;
good adaptation to poisons and toxins;
the ability to weave a web that protects insects from splashes of a poisonous solution.

Put about 15 g of onion in a jar and pour 1 liter of water into it. Let it sit for one night, after which you can water and spray your plants.
The same can be done with dandelions. Mix about 20-30 g of this plant with warm water, and after two hours you can start watering.
Make a garlic tincture. Grate it, put it in a bowl and pour water into it. Keep this infusion in a dark place for about 7 days.
A pair of turpentine under cucumbers is also good at destroying the pest.

Reading time: 5 min

How to protect cucumbers from spider mites? It is tiny in size, but extremely prolific and voracious pest. If protective measures are not taken, then the insect is able to completely destroy the crop. It is sad that these harmful crumbs quickly get used to the effects of a certain type of chemicals, so gardeners have to alternate various preparations.

What proven methods of dealing with spider mites are summer residents talking about?

General information about the pest

You can only see what a spider mite looks like through a magnifying glass or in a photo, it is so small. The length of the red or brown body of a tiny insect does not exceed 0.5 mm. The spider mite in the larval stage has 3 pairs of tiny legs, and in adults there are 4.

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The larvae have a greenish color of the body with dark spots on the sides. For the winter, spider mites hide underground. These insects love dry air and its high temperature. Under such conditions, larvae emerge from eggs within 3-4 days after laying.

The life span of spider mites does not exceed three months, but during this time they manage to multiply greatly. Beetles live on the underside of the leaves, bite through them and suck the juice from the plants. Their presence is detected by the appearance on the surface of cucumber leaves of light spots with veins and a thin matte cobweb.

In addition to causing harm by their own efforts, the mite also spreads gray rot spores, which are very difficult to get rid of.

The appearance of a pest

The spider mite begins its invasion of cucumber beds in the spring, when the soil has warmed up enough. The larvae crawl out of the ground and pounce on the young juicy greenery of garden plants.

Also, a spider mite can appear on cucumbers along with seedlings. This happens if the gardener is too lazy to pickle the soil before sowing seeds.

It is important to know that the microclimate in greenhouses and greenhouses is very favorable for the pest.

Ways to deal with spider mites

If affected cucumber leaves are found, they must be cut off and burned. This method of struggle does not give a full guarantee that the pest will not appear on other leaves or bushes of cucumbers, however, this must be done. If the whole plant is affected, then it must be uprooted and also burned. The soil under it must be watered with a weak solution of potassium permanganate.

With the early detection of a spider mite, when the cucumber leaves have not yet begun to wither, but there are already signs of a pest, you can wipe the leaves with a napkin dipped in a solution of hydrogen peroxide, turpentine or ammonia.

The best way to deal with spider mites is to spray with biologically active preparations for systemic exposure. Three or four treatments are enough to completely get rid of these pests. It is necessary to use such protective equipment in strict accordance with the instructions.

Before spraying, be sure to remove all the cobwebs from the leaves, if they have not wilted yet. Dry leaves should be cut off and burned, it is pointless to treat them.

If the tick on the cucumbers is excessively bred, then you can’t do without chemicals. Do not forget that these are toxic substances, they harm people. They should only be used if at least.

Improvised remedies for cucumbers

An aqueous solution of 3% hydrogen peroxide is a good weapon against spider mites. To prepare one liter of solution, only 40 ml of peroxide is required. They can sprinkle cucumbers 3-4 times with a week break. If the heat is above 30 degrees, then spraying is allowed after 3 days.

Exactly the same solution can be made on ammonia. The proportions of preparation and the frequency of use are similar.

How else to get rid of spider mites, and at the same time from other pests? For example, using turpentine. It needs to be poured into jars, placed on the garden bed and covered with a film. Under the influence of turpentine vapor, pests will die in a few hours.

You can also expel spider mites from cucumber leaves with the help of tobacco dust. She needs to sparsely sprinkle the plot - the pests will leave it. Gardeners also use tar soap boiled on birch tar for prevention.

Plants that repel pests

In nature, there are plants that the spider mite is afraid of in panic; it even dies from exposure to infusions from them.

For large areas it is better to use dope decoction, not infusion. To prepare 10 liters of the product, you need 1 kg of dry or 3 kg of fresh dope without roots. This amount must be brought to a boil and boiled over low heat for 3 hours. After cooling at room temperature, the broth is filtered, squeezed. Cucumbers can be sprayed with them every 5 days until the spider mite disappears completely. For processing small beds, it is easier to use dope infusion. You need to take 100 g of dry grass, pour a liter of water, let it brew for a day.
Dandelion infusion made even easier. To do this, you need to chop 0.5 kg of dandelions, pour them with 10 liters of water, let it brew for 3-4 hours. You can use not only flowers, but also the leaves and stems of the plant.
For cooking infusion of calendula you need to take 400 g of dried flowers (they are sold in all pharmacies), pour 4 liters of water, let it brew for 5 days.
Please note that for cooking sorrel decoction only the roots are used, the leaves are not suitable for this. The infusion is prepared in just 5 hours. Dosage - 300 g of roots per 10 liters of water.
From yarrow do not infusion, but a decoction. It is also very easy to prepare. You need to take 500 g of dry yarrow, pour it with 5 liters of water, bring to a boil. After complete cooling at room temperature, the broth is filtered, squeezed, water is added until a volume of 10 liters is obtained.
Onion and garlic also suitable for processing cucumbers from spider mites. To prepare the infusion, onion or garlic peels are usually used. 200 g of husks are poured with 10 liters of water, left to infuse for a day. Then the mass is filtered, squeezed.

You can prepare the composition of the arrows of garlic, as in this video:

All these folk remedies can not be used in sunny weather. They process cucumbers after sunset. The fact is that under the influence of sunlight, the toxins formed in infusions and decoctions quickly lose their properties.

Biological remedies

Biologically active drugs are not chemical. The bacteria contained in them get inside the plants without causing them any harm. However, for spider mites and a number of other insects, they are deadly. After these bacteria enter the body of the tick along with the juice, the insect becomes ill, and soon dies.

The real result with the use of biological products occurs 12 hours after spraying. These drugs work for a long time. There are a lot of them, but the principle of operation is the same for all. The most popular among gardeners are the preparations "Bi 58", "Aktofit", "Vertimek", "Akarin", "Agravertin" and "Kleshchevit".

You should know that spider mite eggs laid underground, as well as larvae located there, do not fall under the influence of biologically active drugs.

The use of these protection products for different plants should be carried out in different ways. So read the instructions carefully and strictly follow its instructions.

Cucumber chemicals

A detailed study of the degree of impact of chemicals on the spider mite shows that after the first treatment, half of the insects die. After the second spray, only 10% of these tiny pests remain alive. That is why the site has to be processed three times with breaks of 4 to 6 days.

Prevention

The spider mite is an insect against which preventive measures should not be neglected. Otherwise, there is a risk of not harvesting at all.

This insect feels more comfortable in greenhouses and greenhouses than in open ground beds. You can deprive him of such pleasure by maintaining the humidity of the air at 70%. Note that at 60% humidity, the tick dies.
A good prevention is digging up the site in autumn and spring.
The spider mite does not like phosphate fertilizers, so do not forget to feed cucumbers with them.
After harvesting, be sure to burn cucumber tops.
Keep weeds out of your garden beds.
Plant a few calendula bushes between the cucumber rows.
An excellent preventive method is planting cucumbers mixed with cabbage and tomatoes.