Author Topic: Natural pest control  (Read 2929 times)

TooFarNorth

  • Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 223
    • U.S.A., Georgia, 8A
    • View Profile
Natural pest control
« on: July 28, 2018, 09:12:28 AM »
 

Second batch of bug eaters from this nest this year. Almost any time of day I can see dozens of "my babies" working hard to keep the bug population down. I think they are barn swallows, but I am not a birdologist..Lol  Go babies go!!!


TFN

brian

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 3356
    • Pennsylvania (zone 6) w/ heated greenhouse
    • View Profile
Re: Natural pest control
« Reply #1 on: July 28, 2018, 01:35:06 PM »
I have tried ordering ladybugs repeatedly to try to control cottony cushion scale but they haven't helped at all.  The Vedalia type that famously destroys CCS doesn't seem to be available to order, only common ladybugs which don't seem interested in them.  I have been thinking about getting some small lizards for general insect control but am still stuck with spraying for scale.

TooFarNorth

  • Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 223
    • U.S.A., Georgia, 8A
    • View Profile
Re: Natural pest control
« Reply #2 on: July 28, 2018, 05:05:21 PM »
Luckily, I haven't seen any CCS on any of my trees, but I do get occasional flare ups of some type of armored scale. They only seem to bother my greenhouse trees. My outdoor trees seem to have enough beneficial insects to control scale. I do get aphids on some of my trees at times, but a good blast from the hose keeps them at bay. I started seeing some red spots and splatters on some of my trees, and on one tree it looked like a full blown crime scene. Then I found the culprit...... Praying Mantis. I hope they don't kill all my ladybugs, but they can eat all the leaf chewing grasshoppers they want.  I find a lot of moth wings on the leaves of my trees. I think my birds are doing their job.

TFN

loneroc1

  • Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 29
    • Lone Rock Wisconsin USA USDA Zone 3
    • View Profile
Re: Natural pest control
« Reply #3 on: September 01, 2018, 10:36:35 AM »
Brian, on your lizard pest control idea:

Anolis caroliniensis, the American chameleon, would be a good one. They can survive cool / cold winter temps. The problem you'll run into is that without vitamin D and probably additional calcium your lizards won't last long. They need UV B light to synthesize vitamin d and without it you'll need more than the "wild" greenhouse bugs to keep them going.

My greenhouse is covered with double panel uv transmitting acrylic. I wanted full spectrum light and this is what lizards will need.

You might want to try the house or Mediterranean geckos. Being nocturnal, they don't need uvb. I think they'd need quite a bit more heat than the anole though.    Steve H

brian

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 3356
    • Pennsylvania (zone 6) w/ heated greenhouse
    • View Profile
Re: Natural pest control
« Reply #4 on: September 01, 2018, 09:58:35 PM »
Funny you mention, I'd recently bought two anoles to put in the greenhouse.  I didn't find out about their need for UVB until some time later.   I spoke to a friend of mine who has many pet lizards and he said anoles will likely survive without UVB but may be unhealthy.  That's a shame, as my glazing is the UV-blocking type.   I will look into the geckos you mentioned.  I still see the anoles even though they can easily escape the greenhouse if they choose to.  Perhaps they may venture outside and then return, I'm not sure.   I still see and hear crickets all the time in there so the food supply hasn't dried up yet.

I also have a toad that moved into the greenhouse on its own.  I see it constantly, seems to favor this FD seedling pot.


« Last Edit: September 01, 2018, 10:08:36 PM by brian »

TooFarNorth

  • Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 223
    • U.S.A., Georgia, 8A
    • View Profile
Re: Natural pest control
« Reply #5 on: September 02, 2018, 02:50:15 PM »
Nice looking toad there, Brian. Hope he doesn't give warts to your FD...Lol.  The American chameleon or anole, is what I have many of, naturally. I find them everywhere. Lately I have seen several very small ones out and about roaming and feeding, so they are breeding somewhere.  I did not know about their UVB needs
. Luckily my greenhouse is not air tight and they can roam in and out freely. The toads come and go as they please also.

TFN

Walt

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 333
    • USA, Kansas, Kanopolis, zone 6
    • View Profile
Re: Natural pest control
« Reply #6 on: September 04, 2018, 01:16:26 PM »
Looks like the toad is guarding his tree.

Granddad said a barn isn't worth having if barn swallows don't nest in it.

TooFarNorth

  • Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 223
    • U.S.A., Georgia, 8A
    • View Profile
Re: Natural pest control
« Reply #7 on: September 06, 2018, 09:18:06 PM »



This little bug killer stopped and posed for a picture today. Keep up the good work, little buddy.

TFN

Jct

  • Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 138
  • Zone 10b
    • San Diego
    • View Profile
Re: Natural pest control
« Reply #8 on: September 07, 2018, 12:56:01 AM »
I've always been a fan of companion planting, although there are a lot of sceptics.  I plant cilantro around the edge of my garden and where it is present, I see fewer aphids.  Now this is all anecdotal, but I'm a believer in it.  I have a huge tomato plant that has pretty much taken over two raised veggie beds.  On one end I have some chives planted and that section of the tomato plant is aphid free.  The cilantro has since died and there are some areas of the tomato plant that are heavily infested.  Just a thought.
LaVerne Manila Mango; Pixie Crunch, Honeycrisp & Gala Apple Trees; Violette De Bordeaux & Black Mission Fig; Santa Rosa Plum & Snow Queen Nectarine; Nagami Kumquat, Pixie Tangerine, Lemon, Australian Finger Lime & Washington Navel Citrus; White & Red Dragon Fruit; Miracle Berry Plant

SoCal2warm

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1554
    • zone 10 and zone 8a
    • View Profile
Re: Natural pest control
« Reply #9 on: September 07, 2018, 02:01:41 PM »
I've read some advanced organic gardeners grow N. rustica (a wild form of tobacco) and make a tea out of it which has a very high nicotine concentration, and then spray it as a natural pesticide. Care has to be used, however, since the nicotine can easily absorb through skin, so protective gloves should be worn (and like any pesticide it should be regarded as a poison, ingestion could cause poisoning, concentration of nicotine is a lot higher than ordinary tobacco).

Pyrethrin is derived from chrysanthemums. I've you've ever noticed, insects don't normally attack chrystanthemums.
« Last Edit: September 07, 2018, 02:04:24 PM by SoCal2warm »

zephian

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 432
    • USA, CA, Yuba City Zone 9B
    • View Profile
Re: Natural pest control
« Reply #10 on: September 07, 2018, 02:14:33 PM »
I have tried ordering ladybugs repeatedly to try to control cottony cushion scale but they haven't helped at all.  The Vedalia type that famously destroys CCS doesn't seem to be available to order, only common ladybugs which don't seem interested in them.  I have been thinking about getting some small lizards for general insect control but am still stuck with spraying for scale.
I had some CCS earlier this year. I treated it with a spritz of alcohal and cut out some pretty heavily infested spots. I have not found any since. My area seems to have an abundance of lady bugs and asian lady beetles, hopefully they are keeping it down now.
-Kris

TooFarNorth

  • Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 223
    • U.S.A., Georgia, 8A
    • View Profile
Re: Natural pest control
« Reply #11 on: September 07, 2018, 10:04:33 PM »
Pyrethrin is derived from chrysanthemums. I've you've ever noticed, insects don't normally attack chrystanthemums

I grow Moringa, and have noticed that no insects seem to bother it either. I have read that it is beneficial as an insecticide and nutritional supplement. I have not tried it, but am thinking about giving it a go next spring on some of my trees to see how it does.


TFN