Natural Solutions to Things That Bug You (26 page)

PACIFIC FLATHEAD BORER
                            Adult

General Information:

Attacks fruit and nut trees above the ground and usually attack trees that already have some form of damage, usually a sunburned area, making it easier for them to bore into. Their tunnels cause sap to be released from their holes. The beetle has a dark mottled appearance with a bronze colored shell.

PAINT WITH LATEX

Paint the tree trunk with an indoor white latex paint or use whitewash. You will need to paint the area of the trunk at least 2 feet from the soil line and about 1 inch under the soil to be effective.

RASPBERRY CANE BORER

Identification:

This is a thin beetle that has black wings and a yellow body and about ½ inches long. They have long black antennae and take 2 years to complete their life cycle.

General Information:

The female lays her eggs on a young shoot and the grub that hatches eats the pith inside the cane. The top of the cane will then turn black, wilt and die. The best control is to cut off the wilted shoot well below the point of injury and be sure to burn them.

SQUASH VINE BORER

Identification:

    
    This is a red and black moth that has clear wings and is about 1½-inches long. Larvae are wrinkled, white with brown heads. The adult moth flies in the daytime and looks like a small wasp. The front wings are reddish-brown and the front wings are clear. The body is orange and it has black bands on its abdomen. The larvae, is a caterpillar that is wrinkled and is white with a brown head capsule.

General Information:

These are wasp-like moths that lay a single egg usually near the base of the plant stalk. When the caterpillar hatches it bores into the stalk or a leaf stem and then tunnels along the inner tissue, pushing brown garbage out of their tunnel entrance. They usually attack squash, pumpkins and cucumbers. If you see a sudden wilting of a leaf check for borers and remove the leaf or plant part and destroy the borer. The Baby Blue and Butternut varieties of squash are fairly resistant to these bugs.

TRICH THEM

Releasing trichogramma will attack the borer eggs and kill them. Use Nc nematode infested mulch around the base of the vegetables for excellent control. If you find a borehole, just inject Nc nematodes into the borehole with a medicine dropper.

SAVE THOSE RUNNERS

Use a weekly spray of Bt as soon as you start to see the vine runners to keep the borers away.

PASTE ‘EM UP

Prepare a thick paste made from water and wood ash and paint it on the trunk of the tree to stop the borers from climbing up.

PUT DOWN A CARPET

Fabric row covers (from garden supply stores) are a great way to stop moths from laying their eggs since they are looking for moist soil.

ALUMINUM WRAP

Try wrapping the base of the plant with a layer of aluminum foil to stop the moths from laying their eggs on the stem of the plant.

SMELLY ONES WORK GREAT

These borers hate the smell of garlic and onions. If you intersperse these plants among your vine plants it will keep the borers at bay. Planting radishes is said to work well to keep the borers away.

IT’S RAINING SOAP SUDS

There are two good methods to deter these bugs. You can hang bars of soap on the tree and when it rains the soap will run down the tree or you can squirt liquid hand soap on the limbs and the soap will run down the tree when you water the tree.

STRAWBERRY CROWN BORER

General Information:

    The grub does the major damage by boring into the main root of the plant and weakening or killing it. The adult is a brownish beetle with red patches on its wings and feeds on stems and leaves. Strawberry plants can usually defend against the beetle if they are good strong plants.

Adult Beetle                                                                                                                             

KEEP NEW BEDS AWAY

Since the beetles cannot fly, planting a new bed 300 yards away from an old bed where a problem exists usually eliminates the problem.

BOX ELDER BUGS

LEMON TREE VERY PRETTY

    If you have a problem with box elder bugs on your plants, just spray the plants with a solution of diluted Lemon Joy® or any dishwasher detergent (use 1 ounce per 1 quart of tap water). Spray a few leaves first to be sure you will not damage the plant before spraying. To make the Lemon Joy® even more effective add 1 drop of essential peppermint oil to the mixture.