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Post by johno on Apr 12, 2007 21:47:40 GMT -5
>:(Another month or so and these little buggers will make their appearance.  Has anyone tried attracting bats to reduce their numbers? Any other natural means of control? |
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Post by downinmyback on Apr 12, 2007 22:46:40 GMT -5
Would Purple Martins work as they eat other insects beside mosquitos. I know that they eat butterflies and other insects. I have one Marlin house full and i am waiting on my wife to finish putting another house together dor our extra birds. I like to sit in the back yard and watch them soar.
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Post by bluelacedredhead on Apr 13, 2007 11:15:29 GMT -5
Johno, I found a catalogue from an integrated pest management company I worked for one summer. What they list as solutions to the Cucumber Beetle are:
Ladybugs
Lacewings
Beneficial Nematodes (Steinernema)
Praying Mantis (non selective though -says they eat both good bugs and bad bugs; whatever they can catch)
And incidentally, the Steinernema was also listed as the only solution for Squash Vine Borer.
Squash bug solution is listed as Praying Mantis.
I think this pretty much covers the nasties we've been talking about for a while? Hope it helps.
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Post by johno on Apr 14, 2007 9:58:26 GMT -5
Steinernema is the only thing I haven't tried besides bat houses and Purple Martin houses. Danged Scottish thriftiness...
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Post by bluelacedredhead on Apr 14, 2007 16:19:33 GMT -5
So where's your Italian love of gardening?? Bring it to the forefront, open your wallet and let the moths out, LOL. Now mind you, this is an old catalogue, but I don't think that $17.00 for 5 million Steinernema is such a bad deal, do you??
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Post by johno on Apr 15, 2007 7:33:48 GMT -5
I gotta' be careful about letting out that Italian lovin' side...
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Post by bluelacedredhead on Apr 15, 2007 10:14:32 GMT -5
All We Need is Amore...Oh wait, that's not how the song went...
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Post by bluelacedredhead on Apr 16, 2007 22:11:59 GMT -5
Johno, I saw this today in a gardening book. It's an Italian saying regarding the garden. Hope you like it. The Gardener's Foot does not spoil the garden.  |
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Post by johno on Apr 17, 2007 8:31:57 GMT -5
That's good; otherwise mine would have been spoiled long ago. I spend a lot of time just walking around down there.
All the research I have found on evaluating methods of cucurbit pest control point to floating row covers as the number one means to preventing insects from damaging the crops. Here again, Scottish thriftiness has stopped me from buying the two or three hundred feet of it I really need...
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Post by johno on Sept 11, 2007 0:32:45 GMT -5
I think I lucked out this year. I've only seen about a dozen, and squished a few of those!
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