Some pests like to eat mint. In this overview you will learn everything about the most important identifying features. Helpful tips for environmentally friendly control in the bed and on the balcony make it unnecessary to use chemicals.

Just as pretty as greedy - the mint bear

A striking butterfly with white wings dotted with black poses a great threat to all mint species in spring. It's not so much the adult moths, rather their brood attacking the leaves. From May to the end of July, the females lay their eggs on the underside of the leaves.

The caterpillars, which have brown hairs and are up to 40 mm long, feed on the leaves until they pupate. Since they are easy to spot, they are collected in the early morning hours from July to September. Otherwise they eat the mint bare.

Mint leaf beetles - identify and control

They are 8-10 mm small and have a metallic blue shimmer. The mint leaf beetles are after the essential oils. In summer, the pests eat numerous holes in the leaves or completely devour the leaves. How to combat it with natural means:

  • consistently collect the bugs
  • if the infestation pressure is high, cut back all shoots to the ground
  • Be sure to catch any pests that have fallen to the ground to prevent re-infestation

Classic soapy water has proven itself as an environmentally friendly insecticide in the fight against mint leaf beetles. Add 15 ml of liquid curd soap to 1 liter of water and pour the mixture into a pressure sprayer. Applied every 2 to 3 days, you will soon have the plague under control.

How to get rid of aphids effectively

They spread explosively and suck the life out of the lovingly tended mint. Aphids are considered the ultimate pest in the herb garden. How to get rid of the pests:

  • Rinse the lice off with as hard a jet of water as possible
  • Treat infested mints with nettle broth, tobacco stock or soapy water

If the infestation is far advanced, cut back the plant radically. Vigorous mints quickly sprout again.

tips and tricks

Beneficial creatures like to settle in the natural garden, which will help you in the fight against diseases and pests on mint. Birdhouses and insect hotels are quickly inhabited by the busy helpers. Mixed hedges and piles of leaves serve as coveted retreats. As a thank you, birds, hedgehogs, parasitic wasps (€22.99) and ladybugs eat up large quantities of fungal spores and aphids.

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Category:

Vegetable garden