Re: dilemma,another tale of woe
At 11:54 PM 7/21/00 -0600, you wrote:
>Well,folks I'm back with another dilemma,which I hope you might help me
>with.....
>My ornamental grasses are being attacked by a beetle by the name of
>'Cereal Leaf Beetle'(Oulema melanopus) .Native to Europe and discovered
>here in '62, in Mich.it now has made its way south to at least Virginia
>and now the West.
>
>Being bounded on two sides of the property by wheat fields has brought
>this culprit into my garden..
>This is agricultural area (although shrinking drastically due to 'bedroom
>community sprawl)(never thought I'd be glad about that)growing
>,wheat,corn barley etc.All of which this insect prefer and thrive
>on..Currently they really love the Phalaris'and have shredded them
>badly(they etch the chorophyll off the leaf surface in straight line the
>entire lenghth of each leaf until removed entirely and then move onto the
>next leaf)..All others have some damage and dont want to wait to see how
>far it will go.Most likely wont kill them outright but weaken them and
>certainly not attractive....Sadly up til now O.grasses have been
>virtually pest free here.
>
>I have studied it closely on the web and dont feel very encouraged as
>long as I am so closely bounded by said fields ..For those of you in the
>city or urban areas probably not too much to worry about,but if your in
>the country near cereal crops thought you might want to be aware of this
>cursed critter......If anyone has first hand knowledge of dealing with
>them please share as I am seeking all the info I can gather.Sorry to
>'bend your ear'at length and so frequently.But this has got me worried.
>Any thoughts,info ?
>Connie
IIRC, this is one of the first pest to be successfully biologically
controlled. Run a search for anything on it from Michigan State University,
and notify the Idaho Dept. of Agriculture to get off their fat ******** and
do something about it. Margaret L
