The Bix
House Bee
 Offline
Gender: 
Posts: 419
Location: Arapahoe County, Colorado
|
 |
« on: May 04, 2009, 09:49:28 PM » |
|
...without killing bees? We have some plants we need to treat for aphids, but I don't want to do anything that would harm the little girls in the beehive.
|
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
fermentedhiker
Field Bee
Offline
Gender:
Posts: 514
Location: Midcoast Maine
|
|
« Reply #1 on: May 04, 2009, 09:51:31 PM » |
|
check out this site for organic control methods. http://www.arbico-organics.com/ |
|
|
|
« Last Edit: May 05, 2009, 04:43:24 PM by fermentedhiker »
|
Logged
|
Human beings, who are almost unique in having the ability to learn from the experience of others, are also remarkable for their apparent disinclination to do so.
--Douglas Adams
|
|
|
deknow
Field Bee
 Online
Gender:
Posts: 673
Location: Massachusetts
|
|
« Reply #2 on: May 04, 2009, 11:34:29 PM » |
|
i've sometimes used some dr. bronners soap mixed with some garlic oil.
the last time i saw so many aphids that i thought i needed to treat, i mixed up the above concoction, and when i went outside, the rose bush was covered with lacewings, who had eaten all the aphids. don't know if a neighbor brought them in, or if they came on their own to eat the aphids.
deknow
|
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
|
kathyp
|
|
« Reply #3 on: May 05, 2009, 12:10:42 AM » |
|
dish soap and water will work. you just have to do it several times, then stay on top of it.
|
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
"Nay, it [this constitution of government] must perish, if there be not that vital spirit in the people, which alone can nourish, sustain, and direct all its movements. It is in vain, that statesmen shall form plans of government, in which the beauty and harmony of a republic shall be embodied in visible order, shall be built up on solid substructions, and adorned by every useful ornament, if the inhabitants suffer the silent power of time to dilapidate its walls, or crumble its massy supporters into dust; if the assaults from without are never resisted, and the rottenness and mining from within are never guarded against. Who can preserve the rights and liberties of the people, when they shall be abandoned by themselves? Who shall keep watch in the temple, when the watchmen sleep at their posts? Who shall call upon the people to redeem their possessions, and revive the republic, when their own hands have deliberately and corruptly surrendered them to the oppressor, and have built the prisons, or dug the graves of their own friends?
– Justice Joseph Story, "Commentaries on the Constitution of the United States," Volume II, Chapter XIII: Mode of Passing Laws, Sections 900-901, pp. 364 (1833)
|
|
|
SgtMaj
Queen Bee
Offline
Gender:
Posts: 1464
Location: Corryton, TN
|
|
« Reply #4 on: May 05, 2009, 01:18:29 AM » |
|
ladybug larva will devour them all. If you make sure you're getting American lady bugs instead of Japanese lady bugs, they won't try to invade your home for the winter either.
|
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
Dane Bramage
Field Bee
Offline
Gender:
Posts: 509
Location: Portland, Oregon
|
|
« Reply #5 on: May 06, 2009, 12:40:47 AM » |
|
+1 on the ladybugs (though I think it is the adult, not the larvae, that are the aphids dominant natural predator). "Adult ladybugs can eat up to a 1000 aphids a day and as a larvae, about half as many" Article LinkyWe have an unreal amount of aphids out in the tall grass of the wetlands here. The ladybug population is right there with them (go figure). I've not had a problem with the aphids in the hive or elsewhere - though their molting and sugary excretions make for a mess if you have to venture into the tall grass. The ladybugs though... they seem to get in the house early every spring. Not a big deal really (no damage) but...  Cheers, Dane |
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
SlickMick
Field Bee
Offline
Posts: 590
Location: Brisbane, Australia
|
|
« Reply #6 on: May 06, 2009, 08:30:51 AM » |
|
You can try home made white oil by mixing 1 tablespoon dishwashing liquid detergent with 1 cup of cooking oil; add 1 to 2.5 teaspoons of this solution to 1 cup of water, spray onto plants every 10 days. It works by suffocating the creature.  Mick |
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
On the outer Barcoo where the churches are few, And men of religion are scanty, On a road never cross'd 'cept by folk that are lost, One Michael Magee had a shanty. Now this Mike was the dad of a ten-year-old lad, Plump, healthy, and stoutly conditioned; He was strong as the best, but poor Mike had no rest For the youngster had never been christened, A BUSH CHRISTENING - A.B. "Banjo" Paterson http://www.middlemiss.org/lit/authors/patersonab/poetry/christen.html |
|
|
|
Brian D. Bray
|
|
« Reply #7 on: May 07, 2009, 11:19:18 PM » |
|
Lady Bug, Lady Bug, Fly away home
The children are hungry and the aphids are there.
|
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
Life is a school. What have you learned?  The greatest danger to our society is apathy, vote in every election! |
|
|
Highlandsfreedom
House Bee
Offline
Gender:
Posts: 451
Location: Mesquite, TX
|
 |
« Reply #8 on: May 09, 2009, 08:02:59 PM » |
|
I have heard about ladybugs too however I have never bought them just seen them in my yard
|
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
To bee or not to bee that is the question I wake up to answer that every morning...
|
|
|
gaucho10
House Bee
Offline
Gender:
Posts: 335
Location: Spencer, MA
|
|
« Reply #9 on: May 12, 2009, 07:37:19 PM » |
|
Thanks SlickMick and Kathyp.
|
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
My favorite comedy program used to be Glenn Beck--The only thing is that after I heard the same joke over and over again it became BOOOORING.....
People who have inspired me throughout my life---Pee-wee Herman, Adolph Hitler, George W. Bush, Glenn Beck.
Notice I did not say they were people who I admire !!!
|
|
|
|
luvin honey
|
|
« Reply #10 on: June 20, 2009, 12:11:23 AM » |
|
I third or fourth that on the lady beetles. If you don't have many naturally, you can actually order them through garden or organic gardening catalogues.
|
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
The pedigree of honey
Does not concern the bee;
A clover, any time, to him
Is aristocracy.
---Emily Dickinson
|
|
|
Highlandsfreedom
House Bee
Offline
Gender:
Posts: 451
Location: Mesquite, TX
|
|
« Reply #11 on: June 20, 2009, 08:40:55 AM » |
|
lady bugs can be bought for about 2000 for 9 bucks
|
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
To bee or not to bee that is the question I wake up to answer that every morning...
|
|
|
|
bee-nuts
|
|
« Reply #12 on: June 29, 2009, 02:40:44 AM » |
|
"Lady bugs can be bought for about 2000 for 9 bucks"
Sounds great. So if I had a bunch of soybean, say 80 acres with aphids, would 2000 populate fast enough to get rid of the problem. I would really love to know what kind of measures it would take to cure the problem. Last year, where my hive are now there was about 80 acers of soybean that were sprayed for aphids. Thankfully there is corn there this year. I guess it was the first time that the aphids got bad enough that action was required. It was not hot last year and I guess the conditions were ripe for there numbers to explode. This said, I want to be able to avoid a potential spray in the future with ladybugs if I can.
Does anybody have experence with this. Please elaborate it you do.
Thanks,
Bee-nuts
|
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
The moment a person forms a theory, his imagination sees in every object only the traits which favor that theory
Thomas Jefferson
|
|
|
|
luvin honey
|
|
« Reply #13 on: June 29, 2009, 08:50:13 AM » |
|
Hmmm, bee-nuts. Here in central WI, we have a huge Asian beetle problem, which were brought in to control soybean aphids. No problems with soybean aphids now, just a HUGE population of Asian beetles once it freezes and the soybeans die back, leaving the beetles nowhere to live.
One other way to kill aphids: Take 1-2 cups of tomato leaves (I strip the bottom leaves off my plants anyway) and chop up finely. Add 2 cups water. Let steep for 1 day. Strain into a spray bottle. Spray affected plants. This is also supposed to attract beneficial parasitic wasps that prey on other garden pests.
I haven't tried this yet but just brewed up a batch and hope it helps! Obviously, you wouldn't want to spray this on anything you intend to eat soon...
|
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
The pedigree of honey
Does not concern the bee;
A clover, any time, to him
Is aristocracy.
---Emily Dickinson
|
|
|
Highlandsfreedom
House Bee
Offline
Gender:
Posts: 451
Location: Mesquite, TX
|
|
« Reply #14 on: June 29, 2009, 12:06:37 PM » |
|
If it was my yard I would get 10 or so packets about 20,000 lady's. I have gotten one package of 2000 and they took care of mine and my neighbors yard they are still all over the place. It is great and my kids love watching the diff. stages of metamorphosis of the lady's. That's what I would do 100 bucks is definitely worth a try. I'm guessing it is still cheaper than chemicals. Just my 2 cents.
David
|
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
To bee or not to bee that is the question I wake up to answer that every morning...
|
|
|
|
bee-nuts
|
|
« Reply #15 on: June 30, 2009, 05:55:26 AM » |
|
luvin honey:
I was wondering why they needed to spray for aphids with the asain bettles around myself. My uncle rents his land (where I keep my bees of course) to a crop farmer who just pays the property taxes. This is how most retired farmers keep there land without having to sell it nowadays around here. Anyway, I guess a guy was coming by every so often and the aphids got out of control. Never was a problem before acording to my uncle. My bees are in a old pasture between two crop fields whick puts my bee in the middle. I guess as long as there not in bloom you may be ok but if they are, you are in big trouble. My guess is then if the asain bettles didnt do it, cause I know they were around, then the ladybugs would not have done much better. That said though nest year im sure they will plant soybeans again and if i Find the aphids I will maybe try a package earyl before they are a problem and hopefully never have one. Besides, I used to love lady bugs when I was a kid. You did not see them often and when you did it was kind of like finding a four leaf clover. Why the heck did they not use the ladybugs instead of those dam stinky asain home invadin practacly preditor-less pests. Next, some idiot will try to cross breed killer bees with euros. Oh yeah they already did. Idiots.
|
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
The moment a person forms a theory, his imagination sees in every object only the traits which favor that theory
Thomas Jefferson
|
|
|
|
