Critter Help

[Elena]

I received a plant with a few mealies a while ago and used Bug Clear (I think it's by Miracle Gro). It's suitable for indoor use and, unlike many other sprays, is effective against spider mites as well as other pests. I'm not sure if it's available in US but it worked an absolute treat.

 

[dave b]

Asides from the drooling and weird twitches of head and limbs, Jon seems to have suffered no ill affects from his bug killing experiences.

As Jon mentioned, ive also had good luck with Safer soap.

 

[likespaphs]

beneficial insects!

 

[NYEric]

OK but how big does your collection have to be to justify the amount of insects you get. I remember researching and it was ladybugs by the pint!

 

[likespaphs]

right. it is very important to identify what you have and what will take it out. i don't think ladybugs are all that effective but.... (i do have some larvae out back and i keep stopping people to show them how they look). ladybugs can also be stored in the fridge for a couple months...
the other thing is that they're typically not a quick kill...

green methods site. lots of great info....

 

[NYEric]

Actually ladybug larvae are very effective on mealies, are they good against scale?

 

[likespaphs]

i think lacewing larva are more effective but need to be reapplied.
i dunno about scale. there is a beetle specifically for scale, though. i just got some spider mite predatory beetles. they're tiny!

 

[NYEric]

I just went thru the collection w/ alcohol and swabs. If I continue to find problems maybe I'll look at beneficial insects. Are they seasonal?

 

[Corbin]

You would want to use a miticide. I've got Mavrik Aquaflow but have never used it since mites aren't a problem for me.

Personally, and I've said this before, I think the Bayer products aren't worth the packaging they're sent out in-but if you've read the other threads you know my opinion. If you're having a huge problem with critters don't you want stop it now?? Forget the Home Depot products that have less than 1% active ingredient,are mostly glycerine and water, and buy what kills them dead right away. Not 6 months from now.

I would move all your plants outside or into your garage and spray them. Then in 7-10 days depending on the directions of the product, move them back out and do again. Orthene WP is a systemic and works great, but stinks to high heaven. But, who cares if you do it outside. Merit75(Imidacloprid), a systemic used in conjunction with a miticide or Enstar(insect growth inhibitor) will do the trick effectively. And if effective is what you want then use the correct tool;>

Go to www.rosemania.com

I agree with you Candace but the plants grow in my living room and I do not have a garage. I have postage stamp balcony that gets some strong light so though I could take them out and spray them I really can not leave them out very long. I do not want to use anything that could possibly harm me when they are brought back into the living room.

 

[Corbin]

YIKES! Remember this poor guy is in an apartment and we don't know how many plants he's dealing with! He's stuck between a rock & a hard place. The so called 'safer' products don't work as well but the 'big guns' that are recommended come with - wear protective clothing, eye protection, a respirator & don't re-enter for 12-24 hours! The best advice was to move them outside or do you have more than 1 bathroom? A bath tub or shower stall, depending on the numbers, might make it easier, as long as you have someplace to GO for the next 12-24 hrs.!

One bathroom. One L shaped room that is kitchen, living room and bed room. One closet. I have 37 plants and only add 1 or 2 new plants a month. So far, knock on wood, I have not lost a plant.

 

[goldenrose]

So what did you decide on? How are the plants doing?

 

[NYEric]

OK, the Merit seems to be a solution for scale and mealies but I'm a little leery about using in the apartment and also having to mix it, spray plants [in the shower] them move plants out, move more plants in, repeat, etc...

 

[cnycharles]

merit isn't too bad of a chemical as far as people go; actually you could get the merit that is usually applied to the pot, and/or the mixable with water and just put it in your stock water. it will be taken up. it has a re-entry interval so it will break down. also, the bayer rose and flower is labeled to use indoors. a possible solution would be to put plastic around a window that you could vent out of, put a fan in the window to blow out, put plastic underneath the plants and spray them. let everything dry and sit for 12 hours or a day and you would be all set to move them back.

 

[Corbin]

Thanks for all the comments.

I have used safers soap and it works reasonably well but you have to actually get it on the insect.

I think I am going to get some of the Bayer "Rose and Bloom", Bayer "Tree abd Shrub" and posibbaly Bayer "Complete Insect Killer" though the latter seems a little stronger than I probably want to use. I want a "mild" systemic that I can spray with every so often and kill everything with the repeated sprayings.

 

[NYEric]

Me, I'm going for the Merit 75 and damn the neighbors!!! :evil:

 

[Candace]

Merit 75 is a contact systemic. Meaning it doesn't have to enter the root system to be effective. It simply has to be sprayed on the leaves (if you get some on the roots that's fine). Spray the leaves until just before run-off. That's why this product is such a good one for hydro and semi hydro folks. I like systemics in general, but always worry that the plant sitting in a solution will get burned or harmed in some way. The tests for Orthene etc. aren't done plants with a water resevoir.

So, Merit is a very good choice since you don't fill up the pot with the product.

Apartment growers get my sympathy. You seem to have very few options.

 

[NYEric]

Where's my "ity:"?

 

[cnycharles]

I want a "mild" systemic that I can spray with every so often and kill everything with the repeated sprayings.

Hello Ed,
Though this might seem like a friendlier solution to the problem, you may find out that your insect population will instead become resistant to the chemicals you are spraying. If you make them sick but they live (or some of them live) this is a recipe for creating resistant bugs. Something either needs to kill them dead or not come in contact with them (and let them live to become resistant), to have the best overall results. Maybe what would accomplish the same thing as you desire would be to use two different (or three) chemicals or sprays that have different modes of action, like systemic to be taken into the bug, a growth regulator that will inhibit molting of skin shells and oils or such to burn or smother the bugs. Contact can be included with systemic, you don't have to have the bug eat it but they must come in contact with it like you said. You can use these types in rotation, or some can be used together (called a tank mix) but should check first to see if certain types can be used together. This type of treatment is highly suggested by many and gives the best results with the least risk of creating superbugs.

Another point to the marathon/merit systemic imidacloprid good knowledge to have when spraying is that imidacloprid will not be taken up into flowers, so if your bugs are hiding there almost exclusively then the chemical won't kill them. It may be a good idea to just remove flowers if possible before treating with imidicloprid insecticides; sometimes we have to do this at work if we are growing gerberas and the @#%^&* thrips will spend their time in the flowers where the chemical isn't taken up. Also Merit can be taken up into the plant through the leaves, but there are other formulations that are better designed for being taken into the plant and translocated from one side of the leaf to the other and through the plant. I think Marathon II is one of those, but of course more expensive than Merit. I don't know of the general equivalent to Marathon II...

Also just remembered that Marathon was one of the chemicals that was pretty safe to use when the plants were in flower, it was not prone to causing plant or flower burn, though you should test all chemicals here and there on plants in your own setting before using in a widespread fashion. So, would not be too concerned about drenching, as marathon merit was originally pelletized for sitting on top of a flower pot and watered in, and the best results were for long-term contact in the pot before watering again. So would seem fairly safe, though again should test and check results before using in your setting. A few years ago there is a rumor that someone I know used a lawn insecticide and placed the pellets on top of the pots, put moss on top to keep moist and allow to be taken up longer, and then went on vacation. Worked very well at the time, there was long-term contact with the chemical to the plants and the only problems were with that person's leaving the pellets on top of the pots for a long time which led to rot and death of plants because of this (I guess orchids don't like mulching).... worked very well for scale except for those on the ends of very long flower spikes.

hope this helps some, good luck!

 

[Candace]

Another point to the marathon/merit systemic imidacloprid good knowledge to have when spraying is that imidacloprid will not be taken up into flowers

Thanks, I didn't know that.

 

[cnycharles]

you're welcome, and looking back at your previous post I now see that the merit you mention is likely the same as marathon II which moves through the leaves well