Melon Lice
Categories: Pests and Diseases of PlantsI have in about four acres of watermelons, and there seem to be lice and
a small gnat or fly, and also some small green bugs and white worms on
the under part of the leaves, which seem to be stopping the growth of
the vines, making them wilt and die. They seem to be more in patches,
although a few on all the vines. Can you please tell me what to do for
them?
Melon lice are very hard to catch up with after
start. Spraying with oil emulsions, tobacco extracts, soap solutions,
etc., will all kill the lice if you get it onto them with a good spray
pump and suitable nozzles for reaching the under sides of the leaves.
The gnats you speak of are the winged forms of the lice; the white worms
may be eating the lice; the "small green bugs" may be diabroticas. If
you had started in lively as soon as you saw the first lice you could
have destroyed them in the places where they started. Now your chance
lies largely in the natural multiplication of ladybirds and the
occurrence of hot winds which will burn up the lice. It is too late
probably, to undertake spraying the whole field.
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