The larvae of the cockchafer are distinguished by their increased gluttony. They eat everything: tubers, root vegetables, plant roots.
According to the expert of the online publication Belnovosti, scientist-agronomist, landscape designer Anastasia Kovrizhnykh , strawberries are especially popular with large and fat white caterpillars.
The good news is that you can prevent the appearance of May beetles by putting into practice several effective preventive measures.
Firstly, never neglect to loosen the strawberry beds – the cockchafer likes dense, uncultivated soil, which it uses to lay its larvae.
Secondly, be sure to add nitrogen to the soil where the strawberries are growing or grow legumes there – the cockchafer larvae will not settle in soil saturated with nitrogen.
Alternatively, 3-4 months before planting strawberry bushes, water the area with a solution of ammonium nitrate, prepared by adding 200 g of the preparation to 10 liters of water.
Thirdly, mulch the soil. This will create an obstacle that will make it difficult for May beetles to access the ground – they will have to go elsewhere to lay their eggs.
Finally, do not forget to treat the roots of strawberry seedlings before planting. To do this, immerse them in a solution or "chatterbox" based on "Vallar", "Aktara" or "Antikhrushch".
