Re: CULT: iris borers - how do they know?

And what happens to them if there are no Iris or Irids around for them to eat? Thinking AIS should have a research program on borers, or do they? If they were  on the west coast they would have one for sure. We sure would like some help in borer country

I don't have a lot of iris so controlling them here is not a big problem. Growing a large number of them is a different story.

Mike Greenfield
Zone 5b SW Ohio
redear@infinet.com
http://www.geocities.com/mikeg1310/
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: laurief 
  To: iris-talk@yahoogroups.com 
  Sent: Thursday, September 26, 2002 11:28 PM
  Subject: [iris-talk] CULT: iris borers - how do they know?


  Hello All,

  I posed a somewhat tongue in cheek question on the Iris Forum this 
  evening, but now I've got myself really wondering about it.  Does anyone 
  know how borers identify the irises they consume as larvae or the 
  location/plant material on which they lay their eggs as moths?  Do they 
  identify their targets by sight, by smell, by taste, by touch, or by some 
  other sensory mechanism?  It would seem to me the first line of defense 
  to understand exactly how and why they are attracted to irises in the 
  first place.  Does anybody know?

  Curiously,

  Laurie
  zone 3b northern MN where we have experienced our first couple of heavy 
  frosts already, prompting me to cut stalks on 5 tried-to-rebloomers to 
  bring inside.  So far so good, they all seem to be continuing to mature 
  their buds in the vase.





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