Quite often, in summer cottages, backyard areas or just among meadow grasses, you can see foamy lumps on plants that visually resemble spitting. Surprisingly, this is a nest. In it, the larvae of the penny cicada develop and live. Due to the unique composition of the foamy secretion, insects are reliably protected from adverse environmental conditions and enemies. Its survival rates are so high that it is one of the most common parasites today. In summer cottages, strawberries are often affected. Having discovered that a penny has appeared slobbering on strawberries, how to deal with it needs to be decided as soon as possible.

White foam on strawberries: what is it?

Drooling on strawberries indicates a defeat by a species of cicadas called the slobbering penny, or slobber. It is an omnivorous pest that occurs on cultivated, ornamental and wild plants. The body of an adult representative of the species is stocky and flattened, the length does not exceed 6 mm. A characteristic feature of the strawberry penny is a variety of colors, more than 20 variants are known. The most common are brown, olive and yellowish colors. Also meet green, red and brown individuals, each body has sling. The drawing can consist of geometric shapes, stripes and spots.

The head is rather large relative to the body, the frontal plate is triangular in shape, the crown is rounded. Eats food through the proboscis. Sucking mouth apparatus. Pronotum wide and long, toward the end begins to diverge laterally. The abdomen is completely closed thanks to the leathery elytra, which fold in the shape of a house. The wings and upper part of the body are covered with sparse hair. The insect jumps well. Spines and bristles are formed on the limbs.

White foam on strawberries

The common penny is found in most countries in Europe, Russia, Asia, Japan and North Africa. The species was brought to us from Canada and the USA.

Note:the insect can run and fly, but, feeling threatened, makes a powerful leap.

Insects feed on plant juices, a special secret is secreted from their abdomen, the composition of which is enriched with mucins. These are polysaccharides - the main components of salivary secretion. Thanks to him, the substance is viscous and elastic. There are also small spiracles on the abdomen, which at the necessary moment squeeze out the air, forming a lump of numerous sticky bubbles, this is mucus in the form of foam on strawberries. As necessary, this foamy layer is replenished and performs several functions vital for the larvae:

  • The wet cover prevents the offspring from drying out on sunny days.
  • When processing strawberries and other berries, the effects of chemicals are complicated.
  • Insects easily tolerate lower and higher temperatures.

Note: the larva develops for 50 days, during this time it is constantly in the foam nest.

How to deal with strawberry slobber

White foam appears on strawberries, what should I do? Foam on strawberries is not uncommon if the agronomist does not comply with all agrotechnical rules and does not carry out preventive treatment in a timely manner.

Slobbering penny

Aphids on strawberries - how to fight

The main methods of dealing with cicada:

  • Remove the affected fragments of the bush, the amount of organic and mineral dressings should be reduced.
  • Effectively used in the fight against predators, for example, ladybirds and lacewings.
  • An infusion of tansy, tobacco, wormwood or petunia with shavings of laundry soap is effective. It is necessary to carefully process the leaf plates from the underside, as well as the soil near the trunk and the area of ​​the approximate location of the roots.
  • If the cicadas have hit home-grown strawberry varieties, plants with pungent odors should be placed nearby. The most effective are lovage, lemon balm, lavender and thyme.
  • With regard to the penny, it is effective to use chemical insecticidal aerosols. Based on the reviews of agronomists, the most effective drugs are Bona Forte products and Permethrin aerosol.
  • In non-residential premises, you can use a solution from a Dutch manufacturer called Fufanon-Nova, which is an alternative to Aktelik.
  • For irrigation of bushes, you can use the Hungarian chemical preparation for contact-intestinal exposure - Kinmiks.

Important:in the fight against cicadas, adherence to agricultural practices is no less effective. Getting rid of insects, it is worth using an integrated approach: chemical, folk and biological preparations.

Chemical treatment

Chemicals are often used to effectively control slobber. This is due to the fact that the insect is quite resistant to aggressive environmental factors. However, manufacturers annually release substances that will provide the desired and lasting result.

  • Karbofos is available in two forms: liquid and powder. It is enough to dissolve in water and irrigate the affected strawberry bushes with the resulting solution.
  • Lime fluff or slaked lime familiar to everyone. It is sold in large volumes. For 30 kg of the product, you will need to pay no more than 300 rubles. The powder must be scattered in the damaged areas after the main treatment with chemicals. It is also recommended to carefully cultivate the soil among the bushes.
  • Commander is a liquid designed to combat the Colorado potato beetle, but it is also effective against the penny. The cost of 30 ml is approximately 100 rubles.

The drug "Karbofos"

To prevent re-infestation by the penny, the culture should be treated with wood ash. It is necessary to carry out this procedure only after harvesting.

Important:it is forbidden to irrigate the crop with chemicals during the growing season.

Folk recipes

There are many popular recipes that can effectively deal with various types of cicadas, including the penny. The main ones are:

  • Infusion of garlic. 1 cup chopped garlic cloves must be poured with 10 liters of water. During the day, the infusion should be infused in a cool dark place. The resulting composition is carefully treated with the affected areas.
  • Mustard solution. To prepare the solution, you will need 50 g of dry mustard and 5 liters of water, mix the components thoroughly and pour them over the diseased bushes.
  • Laundry soap solution. In a few liters of clean water, you need to add shavings of laundry soap. The solution should be concentrated and cloudy. The resulting composition irrigates not only the bush, but also the pennies themselves are additionally processed.

A solution of laundry soap from pests

Mechanical methods of struggle

The easiest and at the same time effective way of control is to collect the penny larvae by hand. You can do this with gloves, plastic bags on your hands.

Another effective method, but at the same time traumatic for the plant, is treatment with a powerful jet of water. The cicadas will die under the pressure of the water.

Preventive actions

Weed control and timely removal

Weevil on strawberries - how to deal

It is always easier to prevent insects from appearing than to get rid of them. Plants should be regularly inspected for insects.To prevent the formation of foam on the leaves of strawberries, it is necessary to observe not only all the rules for caring for strawberry and strawberry varieties, but also to process crops in a timely manner with special preparations. Effective preventive manipulations of the appearance of the penny:

  • Treat the soil with steam, effectively use semi-steam cultivation.
  • Weed control and timely removal.
  • To prevent foam from forming on strawberry bushes, the spacing between seedlings should be observed when planting. Among dense plantings, the likelihood of injury increases significantly.
  • Damaged, dried plant parts should be regularly removed and destroyed.

Having figured out what kind of drooling on strawberries is, you need to act immediately. The slobbering penny is a fairly common type of insect, but if the agronomist diligently follows all the rules of agricultural technology, the pest will not appear in the summer cottage.