Re: Problem pest?
There was an article in a local newspaper today about the dreaded EARWIG
which has moved into our area 30 years ago and have undergone a massive
population explosion, esp. this year. One of their favorite foods is
apparently hosta--I suspect because hostas grow where the night-feeding
earwigs like to live and hide out during the day: in shady damp
places. Their only saving grace is that they do eat aphids, mites and
other insect's eggs. What amazes me is that they adore eating the
strong-smelling marigold (some of mine are reduced to small chewed up
clumps-flowers and leaves). The article suggested using Diazinon -
crystals or liquid spray outdoors, but I am not too fond of using
harmful-to-everything poisons. I did spray a band around the
foundations, doors and windows of the house, though (I really don't care
to bathe with them). An organic insect pest website suggested putting a
1/2 inch of cooking oil in shallow straight-sided containers to attract
and oil them to death. I tried it and it works, but it is obnoxious to
go around every morning and strain the bodies out of the oil to use
again.
I would also suspect slugs (who like the same conditions) of putting
holes in the hosta. I haven't seen many of these yet, maybe the earwig
competition is too much for them this year.
Earwig horror story: folks out in the country around here are getting
their well-heads and pumps clogged with huge numbers of these guys!
--
Barb Perna
Southcental WI, Zone 4
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