Among the natural world of our planet, there are its representatives that harm other animals, plants or people. One of them is a red tick, which is common on all continents except Antarctica. It is an avid pest that destroys crops such as cotton, soy, grapes and cassava.
Biological features
The red tick has a rounded body of small size. It is covered with sparse bristles. Coloring can be different: yellow, brown, green. Often the body color is uniform, and has dark spots on the sides. Males and females differ in size: the males are smaller and have a more elongated shape.
The red tick propagates through the deposition of rounded eggs. Immediately after they are fixed on the sheet, their color is whitish. As they develop, they become cloudier and turn yellow more and more. At a favorable temperature (+ 15 ° C), the eggs mature in 15 days, if the environment warms up to + 30 ° C, then the larvae will hatch after 2-3 days. If they are fertilized, females will appear from them, and if unfertilized, males will appear.
The larva differs from the adult in that it has three pairs of legs. After it molted, it turns into a nymph, which already like a ripe individual has 4 pairs of legs. The life expectancy of one generation can be from 7 to 36 days, depending on temperature. With the onset of autumn, most of the nymphs become wintering females.
Types of Flat Bodies
There are many types of spider mites, but the most common are:
- Ordinary - the size may vary depending on its fatness. Color - from orange to bright red. It damages about two hundred plant species.
- Red spider web - sizes can vary from one tenth of a millimeter to 2 mm. Color - all shades of red. Damages plants in closed ground.
- Red-legged spider web - threatens many ornamental plants. The body is most often orange.
- Atlantic Cobweb - ubiquitous. It damages primarily cucumbers.
Additional view information
Red tick or flat-bodied belongs to the family of spider mites. It is able to hit almost any plant, except those that grow in water. The controversy of the nerds turned around about violets. American scientists believe that the red tick is not a Saintpaulia. But Russian-speaking sources say that there are exceptional cases of defeat of the Gesnerius. But experience shows that flat-beetle is not related to violet diseases. More likely is that it is struck by a different kind of tick, which is very similar to spider mites.
Plant damage
The red tick is a polyphage (it can eat both plant and animal food). The main thing in his diet is juice from plant cells. Due to the presence of this parasite on the back, small white dots begin to form. Also, on different parts of the victim, a thin web can be present that surrounds him. If the disease develops in a severe form, the leaves begin to turn white due to many injuries, a spider web envelops the entire plant. You can still watch the moving masses, which consist of the pests themselves.
Disease damage
The red spider mite affects the plant in such a way that the cells begin to break down, photosynthesis in them becomes less active. The affected representative of the flora weakens and becomes more susceptible to a variety of infections. Sources say that a small red tick can be a carrier of viral diseases of agricultural and ornamental crops, spores of gray rot.
Prevention
The best conditions for the appearance of parasites are low humidity and dry air. Therefore, in order for the plants to remain healthy, the humidity should be high, and the leaves should be sprayed with water. This will not make it possible for this disease to occur. But this does not help if a red tick has already been found. The photos show that the species belonging to the false spider web loves increased moisture. Therefore, before applying any measures, you need to understand what kind of enemy you are fighting.
Pest Control
The main thing to remember is that the red tick is not an insect, and you need to deal with it in other ways, since insecticides will not have any effect on it. In order to destroy it, insectoacaricides or acaricides should be used. But there is a high probability of poisoning by them and the person himself, because they are very dangerous for people. Therefore, the best option would be to use an intestinal contact drug.
Processing should be carried out carefully, repeated the required number of times with the desired time interval. This will help to remove such a pest as a red tick. Photos and other evidence suggest that the most effective and harmless products of the Avermectin series. These are Fitoverm, Aktofit and Vermitek. With proper use of these drugs, they will bring the best result. Their main weakness is that they are not able to hit unfeeding females and eggs. Therefore, processing should be carried out systematically.
In order for the treatment to work, the temperature should not be below + 18 ° C. It should be remembered that the solution can be used within 24 hours after adding water. If the ambient temperature is + 20 ° C, then it should be processed at least 3 times every 9-10 days. If the air is warmed up to + 30 ° C, then 3-4 similar manipulations are needed every 3-4 days. If this is not done, the females will grow and lay new eggs.
Some more fighting methods
In addition to the above funds, there are several more equally effective drugs. For example, Apollo. The mechanism of its action is different. It poisons eggs and larvae. Adults do not die, but are sterilized. This leads to a sharp decline in the population. Due to the long-lasting effect, only 1-2 treatments are required. Also, its advantage is that it does not harm a person.
If parasites are wound up in greenhouses or conservatories, you can fight them with phytoseyulyus ticks. This brings significant results without the use of chemistry. But there are conditions for their application. These are high humidity, lack of chemical treatment and high air temperature. Another good remedy is the drugs of the Actellic group, but it is very dangerous to use them in residential premises. Under the influence of heat, they evaporate, which leads to the appearance of poisonous gas, which poisons everything around.
