What to do and how to treat bell peppers from pests

Bell peppers are a popular crop that are often attacked by pests. There are over 20 species of insects that infest the vegetable. There are many factors that contribute to their appearance. Photos of the leaves of an affected plant can help identify the problem early. And timely application of effective control methods will preserve the plantings and harvest.

Causes and signs of pest infestation

Insects threaten young seedlings and adult plants grown in greenhouses or open ground. Larvae and adult pests (imagoes) pose a major threat to bell peppers.

Some pests feed on the plant's sap, while others consume leaves, flowers, fruits, stems, and roots. The main sign of vegetable infestation is a sticky coating. This waste product appears on the parts of the plant where the parasites have been present.

Insects on peppers can appear for various reasons. The most common ones include:

• failure to comply with care rules;
• contamination of soil with pathogenic microorganisms;
• poor climatic conditions;
• tight fit.

Pepper pests and their control

Insects often destroy crops and the entire harvest. This article presents photos of sweet pepper pests and their control.

Leaf-eating insects

When holes appear on pepper leaves, it indicates the presence of insects that prefer to feed on this part of the plant. It's usually easy to identify the pests that have taken up residence on your plants, as these pests are easy to spot.

Colorado beetle

The Colorado potato beetle is easily recognized by its striped shell and rather impressive size (7-12 mm). The larvae are also large – up to 12 mm in length.

Bright yellow egg masses on the underside of leaves are the main sign. The newly formed larvae and adults then begin to feed on the leaves. If left untreated, the bush will quickly be destroyed.

Bitoxybacillin (BTB) is a safe insecticide used for spraying. Systematic removal of egg masses, larvae, and beetles from the bush is the primary control measure. Plants such as calendula and garlic repel the pest.

Slugs

These mollusks browse leaves at night and rest during the day under plant debris, rocks, and planks. Their favorite habitat is greenhouses and hotbeds.

In case of a massive infestation, special products are used. You can get rid of slugs with Meta, Ulicid, and Groza.

Caterpillars

Caterpillars are the main pest of peppers in greenhouses. In garden plots, hawthorn moths, goldtails, and leaf rollers are also common. These pests can cause significant damage to crops in a short period of time.

The following insecticides will help control the caterpillar population:

• Bitoxybacillin;
• Inta-Vir;
• Spark;
• Lepidocide;
• Monsoon;
• Fitoverm.

The products must be diluted strictly following the instructions for use.

Other pests

Other insects also pose a significant threat to bell peppers. They typically not only destroy the above-ground or underground parts of the plant but also carry serious diseases.

Aphid

Aphids are a major threat to pepper crops. The insects form colonies and parasitize on the undersides of young plant leaves, sucking out their sap. The leaf blades of mature plants are too much for them to handle. Various viruses, infections, and fungi can enter the small, open wounds, significantly worsening the situation.

Damaged leaves curl and dry out. The stem becomes thinner, and the fruits grow malformed. If no protective measures are taken, the plant dies.

You can treat peppers against pests with the following preparations:

• Fitoverm;
• Keltan;
• Corado;
• Spark;
• Karbofos.

Hoverflies, ladybugs, and lacewings are natural enemies of aphids. These insects can consume up to 100 adult aphids in a day. You can attract these "saviors" by planting fennel, coriander, and cumin in your pepper beds.

Whitefly

Whiteflies resemble butterflies, about 3 mm in size. The insect and its larvae feed on plant sap. They are also dangerous due to the viruses they carry. They prefer to nest on the undersides of leaves. A swarm of tiny midges can be seen when shaking the leaves of plants.

The main sign of whitefly infestation is stickiness on the undersides of leaves. This is caused by the honeydew secreted by the parasite. These conditions are favorable for the growth of bacteria and fungi, leading to yellowing and subsequent leaf drop.

If the population has reached significant sizes, special medications can help. These include:

• Zeta;
• Confidor;
• Mospilan;
• Fufanon;
• Aktara;
• Verticillin.

You can try to control whiteflies using biological methods. Ladybugs and golden-headed beetles are used for this purpose.

Mole cricket

The pest's appearance is frightening and repulsive. The mole cricket grows up to 8 cm in length. It lives in soil where there is food, warmth, and other favorable conditions.

The mole cricket becomes active in the spring, when it begins gnawing at the underground parts of crops. The insect can destroy up to 10 plants a day. Affected plants quickly wilt and then die. Numerous holes and paths in the soil are a clear sign of mole cricket activity. Removing them from the site is very difficult.

Digging in late fall and early spring will help destroy tunnels and egg-laying sites. Onions, garlic, and marigolds are plants that repel mole crickets.

The insect is very attracted to manure, which can be used to make a trap. In the fall, dig a hole and fill it with manure. The mole cricket will definitely choose a warm place to overwinter. When the first frost appears, scatter the manure from the hole over the ground. The pest will freeze and die.

If simple control methods do not produce the desired result, then the following chemicals are used:

• Medvetoks;
• Thunder;
• Grizzly;
• Bankol;
• Fenaxin plus;
• Medvegon.

Ants

Garden ants are attracted to the sweet secretions of aphids that parasitize on pepper leaves. Therefore get rid of ants It is possible only by destroying the aphids.

First, you need to find the "queen" ant and then remove the nest from the area. To do this, fill it with debris and take it far away from the area. The remains of the destroyed "house" should be sprayed with kerosene or boiling water.

"Sweet" baits are also prepared for ants. Jars of honey or sugar are placed along ant trails. The insects will certainly look inside for a treat, but will be unable to escape.

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When it is impossible to cope with a multi-million colony, the following drugs are used:

• Muracid;
• Thunder-2;
• Ant-eater;
• Murav'in.

Nematodes

The activity of these small, transparent worms is often mistaken for disease. Many gardeners recognize the pest very late, when it has already gorged itself on the plant and provided its future offspring with food.

Externally, the plant appears unhealthy due to a nutrient deficiency. Leaves curl and turn yellow. Plants stop growing, and flowers and ovaries fail to form. In advanced stages, root system death and plant death are typical.

The roots of the affected plant can be treated with hot water (50-60ºC). To do this, soak them in the water for 5-10 minutes.

Unfortunately, only chemicals can completely eradicate nematodes. Vidat, Rogor, Dimethoate, or Nemaphos are recommended.

Spider mite

The pest can cause plant death. The presence of fine webbing on seedlings is the main sign of spider mites in pepper seedlings. The leaves gradually curl and fall off. If you look closely, you'll see small orange and red spots on the leaves.

Effective insecticides against spider mites:

• Anti-tick;
• Inta-Vir;
• Neoron;
• Apollo;
• Fufanon.

You can combat spider mites on pepper seedlings by applying strong fertilizers like Temik or Aldicarb to the soil. This will eliminate them for good.

Owls

The moth is active in the evening and prefers to hide during the day. Signs of butterfly activity are typical for all caterpillars—gnawed edges of leaves and sometimes fruits.

The most effective control measure is hand-picking the insects at night. Volaton, Arrivo, Sherpa, and Zolon are all effective against cutworms.

Thrips

Greenhouse peppers are particularly susceptible to small, inconspicuous insects. Thrips on seedlings can reach up to 2 mm in length. They feed on the plant's sap but also carry dangerous diseases.

White spots on foliage are external signs of thrips activity. Over time, the leaves die and fall off. The insects can be seen on the underside of the leaf blades.

It is recommended to immediately resort to the use of chemical preparations (Karbofos, Fitoverm, Karate, Intavir, etc.).

Wireworm

Wireworms are the larvae of the nutcracker beetle. These pests have a hard, brown (reddish) body and reach 2-4 cm in length. They live in the soil, destroying the underground portion of seedlings. As a result, the crop dies.

Wireworm control is very difficult, as the larvae live at a depth of 70 cm. Only chemical control is effective. Effective chemicals include:

• Prestige;
• Bazudin;
• Metarizin;
• Force;
• Bazudin;
• Provotox.

Use of folk remedies

You can kill insects by spraying your bushes with folk remedies. How to protect your plants:

• saline solution – 5 liters of water, 500 g of table salt;
• mustard solution – 1 l of water, 10 g of mustard powder;
• garlic-based infusion – a head of garlic, 500 ml of water (infuse for a week);
• ash solution – 1 cup of ash, 10 liters of water, 1 tablespoon of liquid soap (leave for 24 hours).

You can also spray the crop with kerosene diluted with water (1:1). It's best to treat peppers with folk remedies for pests in the evening.

Some pharmacy medications can be effective when used to prepare a home remedy for seedlings. These include:

• iodine (5 drops per 5 liters of water);
• boric acid (1 g of acid per 5 l of water);
• tar soap (80 g of soap per 5 liters of water);
• potassium permanganate (15 g of product per 5 liters of water).

Once a week you need to spray the bushes with any product.

Preventive measures

Preventative measures will help prevent the appearance of insect pests. The main preventative measures are:

• in autumn and spring, carry out deep digging of the soil;
• clear the beds of plant debris and weeds;
• disinfect seeds and soil before planting;
• onions, legumes, and greens are the best predecessors;
• You cannot plant seedlings in soil where zucchini or potatoes grew;
• Avoid dense plantings;
• water and feed the plant on time;
• treat pepper seedlings against pests with a soap solution or milk whey;
• regularly inspect bushes for insects;
• treat diseases in a timely manner;
• Choose pest-resistant seeds (hybrids) for planting.

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In addition, all parts of the greenhouse structure and agricultural equipment are disinfected.

Bell peppers are very susceptible to insect infestations. There are various methods for controlling pests. It's important not to ignore the problem but to address it promptly. Chemical pesticides are suitable for large-scale control, while folk remedies are suitable for small infestations.