I don't know how these photos are going to turn out. . . super huge or not. But for those of you out west (I hear you don't have borers) here is what the nasty iris borer looks like.
Has anyone had a stalk fall over because a borer has "bored" up it? This picture was taken last July, 2003. The stalk fell over in the garden, and when I inspected it, I discovered the rotten-ness at the base. When I picked up the stalk, it was acually HOLLOW inside. . . I could squeeze it with my fingers.
As for the borer, I could have fed him to my chickens. . . but I decided to let my brother have some fun. We torched him. >:-) It was the least I could do to say "Hey! thanks for eating up my irises!". (Besides the fact that it was a clean death, it made me feel better, too.)
Bo~
Awaiting spring in Michigan, and hoping that this year burning the iris leaves and rubbish in the garden will acually destroy the borer eggs as I have been told.
Adam Cordes
Region 6, Zone 4 1/2
