Re: Insects

Heh, heh, Margaret. I can tell you what the correct diameter is!  Earlier
this spring I stated installing yet  another weeping hose system in a
perennial bed, using 1/2" diam soaker hose from WalMart. I cut a couple of
long pieces, laid them out in the garden, then got called away and couldn't
hook up the hoses.

This weekend I finally got back to it, and much to my surprise, found both
hoses clogged at the open ends. One I started cutting off, and found
exactly what you describe, individual cells, each containing a larva,
separated by "walls" made of leaf sections.  As soon as I figured out what
was going on, I cut a good one foot length off of both hoses and left them
laying in the garden so the little guys could continue incubating in peace.

Jennifer, I think Margaret is right, though. These bees and wasps will make
the neat little holes you describe, but won't defoliate and entire plant. I
think you have more than one critter here. Try going out after dark with a
flashlight and checking your roses for caterpillars. That seems more likely
than the  bee/wasps.

Does anyone know if using systemic insecticides harms the leaf-cutters
(since they don't actually ingest the leaves)?

Gerry



At 10:22 AM 5/22/00 -0600, Margaret wrote:
 >>
>The "cookie bite" holes are courtesy of leaf-cutting bees, but they don't
>entirely remove leaves. That's a different culprit. Leaf-cutting bees are
>used to pollinate alfalfa to produce seeds because other kinds of bees have
>the wrong physical equipment to pollinate alfalfa flowers. They lay eggs in
>holes, and "roof" them with the leaf circles. Commercial guys make "bee
>boards" (the right sized holes, etc.), and sell or rent them to farmers
>growing alfalfa seeds. The boards are quite valuable, valuable enough to be
>"rustled" from time to time. Run a search and see what the correct diameter
>and depth of the holes are and see if you can build your own bee board.
>Margaret L
>
>
Other Mailing lists | Author Index | Date Index | Subject Index | Thread Index