Re: Asparagus

When picking the beetles, i carry a plastic bottle of soap solution, and
drop them right in there.  I keep the plastic bottle near the asparagus bed,
and collect the beetles/larva every morning.  When the bottle gets "full"
(not a pretty sight, mind you), I empty the bottle into the compost pile,
and refill.  I tried this technique this past year, and worked pretty well.

I do the same for colorado beetles on potato plants, although they tend to
be more difficult to "catch".

Rene.

-----Original Message-----
From: Edward Tucker <edwardt@sonic.net>
To: veggie-list@eskimo.com <veggie-list@eskimo.com>
Date: Sunday, January 10, 1999 11:12 AM
Subject: Re: Asparagus


>One trick in hand picking that worked well for me was to place one hand
>under the beetle, and reach for it with the other. When they see your
>movement they drop from the plant right into your other hand.
>
>
>Ed Tucker
>edwardt@sonic.net
>Santa Rosa, Ca.
>
>
>On Sun, 10 Jan 1999, Neason wrote:
>
>> Nick Day wrote:
>> >
>> > Steve wrote...
>> >
>> > > Also, asparagus beetles can be a problem early in the season.  I
>> > > hand-pick the adults but you have to develop the technique as they
drop
>> > > to the ground or fly away at the slightest disturbance.  The larvae
are
>> > > like grey slugs, but not slimy.  If hand-picking bothers you, use
>> > > rotenone on them.  By June the ladybugs usually are quite activly
eating
>> > > the larvae and I don't worry about it after that.  (Note that a
ladybug
>> > > larva looks like a tiny grey dragon.  Don't confuse the ladybug larva
>> > > for an asparagus beetle larva and pinch or spray it.  The ladybug
larvae
>> > > eat the asparagus beetle larvae.)
>> >
>> > Good advice, Mr. Maritime.
>> >
>> > I often wonder how many people kill their ladybird larvae, thinking
they are
>> > something nasty. Anyone using a Mac might like to seek out my
Insecticons --
>> > icons of insects, real and imaginary; these include a picture of a
ladybird
>> > larva. They are on most shareware sites, so you'll find them quite
easily
>> > from a search engine.
>> >
>> > Rather than picking off the asparagus beetle larvae, I squash them by
hand
>> > in situ which is faster.
>> >
>> > Cheers,
>> >
>> > Nick
>>
>> Nick,
>>
>> That's essentially what I meant by a "technique" for hand picking.  But
>> you must approach the beetle such that your shadow does not fall on it.
>> Catching them "in the act" is always satisfying, too, because you know
>> you got a female then.
>>
>> Steve  (Maritime...)
>>
>
>
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