OT: Mealies and Whiteflies
Just a sidebar on this subject. We have problems with both these insects
in our greenhouse during the winter. We try not to use insecticidal sprays
there, but usually by spring both pests have gotten somewhat out of hand.
The mealies are a particular headache on our big collection of named
varieties of coleus. A lot of time goes into wiping them off, one by one.
However, as soon as the plants are moved outside, the populations of both
pests virtually disappear. This seems to be due to predators and parasites
that move in to attack them. Harvestmen, or daddy-long-legs, are very
abundant in our garden and have been seen devouring mealies and aphids in
large numbers. Ladybird beetles and their larvae, as well green lacewings,
also take a heavy toll.
Hand-picking works for a lot of troublesome garden insects if your garden
is not very large (ours is about 0.75 acre). Japanese beetles are
well-controlled here by Milky Spore in the lawn and hand-picking morning
and evening. I've abandoned the use of the traps; they just draw in
beetles from all the surrounding properties. We are currently having a
plague of Harlequin bugs on the broccoli, but hand-picking has dramatically
reduced their numbers and they seem to be on the way out. It's probably my
fault for not getting after them when they hit our winter kale last fall.
So many pest problems can be spotted early by just spending a half-hour
each day walking around the garden with a keen eye. By handling
difficulties before they explode out of control (as insect populations can
do very quickly), you have a low level of constant effort rather than a
frantic response later. And that's the way this relaxed individual likes
to garden!
Bill Shear
Department of Biology
Hampden-Sydney College
Hampden-Sydney VA 23943
(804)223-6172
FAX (804)223-6374
email<bills@mail.hsc.edu>
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