Beemaster's International Beekeeping Forum
ALMOST BEEKEEPING - RELATED TOPICS => GARDENING AROUND THE HOUSE => Topic started by: Davisbees on May 23, 2011, 12:54:07 am
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What do you all spray on your garden to keep the insects from eating it up and won't kill my bees?
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For Brassicas, radishes, and such you can simply cover them with row cover fabric, to prevent things like cabbage moth (that very common small white butterfly). The kind that breaths.
Aphids are only an issue if they're causing visible damage to the plant. Rather than spraying anything I usually just take my hand to them and crush them all. Gloves help too.
Parasitic wasps that inject eggs directly into the aphid take out the rest.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v735/mrilovetheants/Bees%202011/ParasidicAphidWasp.jpg (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v735/mrilovetheants/Bees%202011/ParasidicAphidWasp.jpg)
Some of these wasps also target caterpillars. The resulting grubs eat the caterpillar from the inside out, then bore out of the host releasing chemicals that brain wash it into protecting the wasp larva as they spin cocoons. The caterpillar does not survive.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v735/mrilovetheants/Plants/ParaCaterpillar.jpg (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v735/mrilovetheants/Plants/ParaCaterpillar.jpg)
As well as hoverfly larva. Aka flower fly. These go undetected by ants that may be looking over the herd as they eat the aphids.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v735/mrilovetheants/Ants%202011/Camponotusaphidflowerflylarva.jpg (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v735/mrilovetheants/Ants%202011/Camponotusaphidflowerflylarva.jpg)
Lady bugs typically show up on their own as do praying mantises.
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I use insecticidal soap. Not the best like sevin at killing, but safer for everybody. Just don't spray the blossoms.
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I use insecticidal soap. Not the best like sevin at killing, but safer for everybody. Just don't spray the blossoms.
sevin At is good for killing bees if you use it.
BEE HAPPY Jim 134 :)
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Thanks for the replies everyone.
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I’ve used Tide in the sprayer to kill bugs I can see. It dehydrates the soft bodied bugs and kills them effectively. Dormant oil spray to kill scales in the spring. BT to kill early instars of moth pests (coddling moth, etc). Pheromone traps will work for some pests like Japanese beetles. Feet for things like tomato worms :)
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Egads, Bee-murdering Sevin, bee-apocalypse, Bee-nuke til Kingdom come
sorry, folks, I'm a bee-hugger :mrgreen:
By the way do not!!! be afraid of aphids. They have never ever ruined any of my rose blooms or mar my plants. Sometimes early in the spring they will swarm my rosebuds, but not a lick of damage. They just look like they're a problem but they really aren't- but if it bothers people that much, just mail-order some ladybugs, follow the directions on your package and there you have it. Problem solved. but to me it's a whole lot of nonsense worrying about aphids. Their lifespan season is so short and so brief. Much more bothersome are thrips and cucumber beetles which I spray with hot pepper wax spray. They like to leave very annoying "hickey marks" on my blooms.
For JBs just be sure your lawn has grubkiller. But the far better organics method is Milky Spore. JB grubs love hiding in moist soil.
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IMHO, anyone who uses chemicals for either beekeeping or gardening has not gained enough experience at the craft to be called a Master of anything.
Someone who gets good to excellent results without resorting to chemical use is more a Master, even if they have "less" experience.
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Hi.................
Insecticide is indiscriminate and kills all insects as well as spiders and many other useful invertebrates, don't use it if you can help it. Never kill ladybirds or lacewings as they are aphid eating machines.
Thanks for discuss....javascript:void(0);
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serena
what is your recipe for hot pepper wax spray
Thanks
Bob