The popular garden crop of grapes is quite sensitive and prone to many diseases and pest invasion. Often gardeners find that bumps have appeared on the leaves of the grapes, and wonder what to do in this case. It is possible that the plant struck one type of mite. Let us consider in more detail the signs and distinctive features of its presence, as well as methods of dealing with it.
Description and photos of the pest
Grape pruritus - a pest of the vine, belongs to the family of gall mites. This is a very small pest, not visible to the naked eye, because its length is only 0.15 mm. Its body is transparent, oblong, with two threadlike setae in the caudal part.
In addition to them, there are 5-6 pairs of bristles and 2 pairs of legs along the body. Reproduction is inherent bisexual, for the year grows from 7 to 8 generations. An adult individual from an egg is formed in 10-14 days.
The grapes also amaze: phylloxera, lily, mealybug, spider mite, cicadka, thrips, wasps, weevil.
Winter mites spend on grapes under the scales of the kidneys. In the spring, when the air temperature is above +15 ºС, they begin to leave their wintering grounds and crawl over to barely blossoming shoots. 
Did you know? To strengthen the shrub and more abundant fruiting under the grapes recommend sowing parsley. In addition, it repels some pests.
Signs and harm
Due to its microscopic size this tick is impossible to detect. To determine its presence is possible only by the consequences and traces that it leaves on the leaves. As soon as an itch settles on a sheet, there reddish or green convex patches appear on the upper side, and on the reverse side there are growths that look like felt.
Did you know? For the production of one bottle of wine you need about 600 grapes.
Hence the second name of the pest - the felt mite. With the age of itching, this felt stain becomes brown in color, after which they merge into one, and the sheet is rolled up and fades. These signs appear on the leaves due to the fact that the tick pierces it and injects its saliva into the thickness, which causes such a reaction.
Often, the signs of settlement on grapes of felt mites are confused with the fungal disease mildew and fungicidal preparations that are ineffective against pests are used.
The most common diseases of grapes are mildew, oidium, anthracnose, Alternaria, chlorosis, against which fungicides are used.
Outwardly, their manifestations are very similar. To accurately determine what ailment struck your grapes, it is enough to rub a felt patch with your finger. Fungal plaque when mildew is erased, and if itchs still settle on the leaves, these spots are not amenable to mechanical removal.
The defeat of itchiness lowers photosynthesis in the leaves, complicates the transfer of nutrients, and reduces the yield. If the reproduction of the tick population does not stop in time, they can move to clusters.
How to deal with grape tick
Measures to combat itch on grapes depend on the degree of destruction of the shrub. If there are single affected leaves, they should be cut off. In the presence of a large number of such leaves can not do without the treatment of the bush with special sulfur-containing drugs. Processing is carried out twice with an interval of about 10 days.
Important! If the ambient temperature is above 20 ºС, sulfur should be applied to the shrub.With a massive defeat of grapes using "Actellic" and "Vertimek". However, since these drugs are toxic to humans and bees, they are used in extreme cases. Perhaps the use of "Fufanon" as less dangerous for humans or "Omayta" (not dangerous for insects).
For a good result, it is recommended to spray each sheet thoroughly on both sides. On one bush leaves from 2 to 5 liters of ready solution. It is better to carry out the treatment in the morning or evening, in calm weather.
Preventive measures
In addition to the above methods of dealing with the grape mite, a number of preventive measures can be taken before bud break. For prevention after the leaves fall in the fall, the bushes are treated with a decoction of lime (5%). If the autumn treatment was missed for any reason, in the spring grapes are sprayed with a 7% solution of "Carbolineum".
Important! All measures, both in wrestling and prevention, must be carried out in overalls and protective equipment (goggles, gloves, respirator).The fight against felt mites is a rather laborious process, since it basically hides in the thickness of the leaf and is not easily destroyed. However, if you follow all the recommendations, the probability of a positive result increases several times.
