Re: Re: Cult: Heat, Rot, Etc.

Hello Char,


>Did you have any seedlings that were not
>covered and how did they behave?

Yes.  I left seven uncovered.  Four have been consumed completely.  The
remaining three have been chewed, but never were completely eaten to the
ground.  I confess, though that I had a rotating cap that I used to cover
them when the 'hoppers started on them.  They are small compared to previous
years' seedling growth, but not tiny.

This the first year I've covered the seedling bed in this manner.  I haven't
enjoyed it and hope it is not necessary again.  I always have grasshoppers
and therefore always have some damage.  This year is extraordinarily bad.
My seedling beds are under the shade canopy of oak trees.  Here,
grasshoppers eat those in the sun first.  The shade is somehow a bit of
protection, but not enough.  I have lost a seedling or two to grasshoppers
every year and have had a few become permanently stunted after being eaten
off, but luckily most of the seedlings only were chewed slightly and they
seem to withstand that readily.

You may be right about the color.  Obviously the insects have some means of
distinguishing between plants so they select the ones that fit, e.g. tomato
worms on tomatos.  They seem to also have preferences among iris plants, so
I think they do distinguish between specific plants of the same species.
Once they find a seedling and start chewing, they will return to the same
one in the bed over and over.  I wonder if it gets 'flagged' somehow.  I
also wonder if the same 'hopper is hiding and returning or if it is
different ones.  I suspect the 'flagging', but think it works for any
grasshopper then around.  But I don't know a thing about insect sensors and
how they work.  We need Bill Shear on this subject.

Donald Eaves
donald@eastland.net
Texas Zone 7b, USA



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