We can't leave well enough alone

I have been lamenting the fact that I see very few insects in my garden to pollinate my veggies. Tonight I suddenly realized why, the town sprays the whole town every Tuesday and Thursday evening to control mosquitoes. This also kills any other insect (good or bad). A great case of one benefit creating another problem. Humans and their solutions equals trouble so many times.

Twice a week? That definitely is not good for beneficial insects and pets who are left outside all night. Mosquito control where I live is managed by the County Public Works Department. It might not hurt to give them a call or whomever does the spraying and voice your concerns. Mention beneficial insects and pets that stay out all night. Ask what they are using .. here they use malathion.

X

This message was edited Jun 17, 2009 9:45 AM

That sounds like way to much spraying. I basically live in a swamp and they don't spray like that here.

Oh no. That's not good.
I think I'm not seeing as many bees and butterflies as I normally do by this time, but I know they aren't spraying around here. The mosquito population is very healthy!!

Am I imagining that there are fewer flutterers? Any one else notice this?
One thing we have plenty of are Japanese Beetles. Worst in years!

I actually killed a jap beetle tonight. Never have seen one in the LC. Everything else seems to be doing well, honey bees all over my plants. Not sure where they come from but no lack of them.

That's funny, I found a Japanese Beetle in the bathroom last night. Can't remember ever seeing them in my garden down here.

Deb, I have seen butterflies this year but typically the numbers increase as the summer goes on. There are always a few on my bottlebrushes in May but there are dozens on the same bushes in August. Beaufort County sprays from the air on a regular basis but they do stay away from the areas along the marsh, like where I live. They also stay away from areas where bee keepers are known to have hives.

I've lived here 20 years and I have never seen Jap. beetles. Well, this year they are destroying my crape myrtles. I didn't even know what they were til I looked them up. I have waged a major battle and I guess I'll have to treat the lawn for their grubs later in the year so we don't have this problem next year.

We have TONS more dragon flies this year :-) and more butterflies.

X I don't think dorchester county sprays around my house, at least I've never seen them. How often do they spray near you?

Amy

They usually spray around 3am in the morning every couple of weeks or so .. considering the skeeter population at the moment .. I don't think they have started spraying yet. I think I'll give them a call Monday and find out their schedule and see if they still use malathion.

X

I'm with you, X. I don't think they've sprayed because it is "Mosquito World" out there!!

I will try to be patient awaiting more butterflies. :)

Ascholz: Last year, I decided to stop trying to drive the moles away from the lawn, figuring they'd eat the Jap. Beetle larvae. Didn't work. LOL. A guy from Clemson extention said the best way to get rid of them is to have your neighbors hang pheramone traps in ,their yards. ;-> We have woods across the street and I've been tempted to hang traps over there to draw them away.

They are on the roses, Crapes, Cannas, Callas, and Lisianthus. Grrrrrrr!

I wonder if my Assassin Bugs will eat JB's. I have a convention of AB's going on at the Roma Tomato Inn .. Perhaps I'll capture a JB and see if they go for it.

X

Oh how I wish! Let me know if your AB plan works.

Well of course when you want a JB they are no where to be found! Maybe I'll check out my neighbors crape myrtle. Also, I do use Bayer All In One on my roses and since I've never seen any damage to them, it might be deterring them.

X

What's up with the dragon flies? Never have I seen so many flying around, I was at a baseball field this and I saw at least 20 in formation flying around the field. LOL. What exactly does a dragon fly eat??

Insects. You want as many of them as you can get.

You know .. I've noticed bunches of dragon flies as well! Not many butterflies or bees though.

X

Those dragon flies are curious little buggars! They will sit on my picket fence and let me walk right up to them. They even turn their heads to look up at me; and when I'm watering it's as though they want to take a drink from the hose. I'm beginning to really like having them around...their kinda fun.

Two years ago one let me shove a camera in his face .. the lens was only 1 inch from his eyes!

X

I'd never even seen a Japanese Beettle down here in the first 18 years I lived here. Two years ago, I found one on my (few) tea roses. Pulled out the big guns (malathion) and wiped them out. Bizarre approach on the surface (using a cannon to shoot a fly). Last year, there were more, so I heavy hit them again. Again, wiped them out. This year there are even more of them. I think they're spreading their territory to include the low country, and trust me, we don't need that! Those things can strip a rose bush overnight! They have no "saving social values"...kill them if you see them!

One of my friends with a large rose garden has been plagued for years with beetles that look exactly like JB's but they have mottled brown wings rather than the typical irridescent coloring. They have been identified as actually being close cousins to the JBs. She keeps a quart jar of alcohol in the garden and picks (and drowns) the beetles on a daily basis.

Amazing picture, X.

Do you all have fireflies up there?

Yes! In fact I saw the first of them about two weeks ago. There seem to be fewer and fewer each year .. I remember growing up as a little girl when we'd visit my grandparents in Atlanta there seemed to be thousands of them.

Here is SC I only see 4 or 5.

X

Check out this little guy. He is soooooo loaded down with pollen.

This message was edited Jun 21, 2009 3:33 PM

If only the county would spray for deer. This is a species tropical hibiscus that was covered with buds - up until last night. That also got daylilies, caladiums, agapanthus, roses, etc., etc., etc.

Lol .. spray for deer .. is there anything they DONT like?

X

Milorganite but I'd hate to see it sprayed. LOL

Oh, no~! Ardesia, I do wish there was an effective way to keep those deer away. Must be maddening! (That bee appears to have saddlebags.)
Fortunately, we have not have that particular problem here - .....just the odd Muscovy duck who does the lumberjack thing on an entire elephant ear or ginger.
Then there's whatever took all but one Navel orange off my little tree.
....

LOL, lumberjack thing....

Our deer have learned milorganite and blood meal won't harm them. This herd is brazen; they are chasing dogs instead of the other way around.

I wonder if a raccoon got your oranges Deb.

We have a guy feeding the deer now. Not real popular thing to do around me but they don't seem to eat much of my plants except my morning glories. They eat every leaf from about eye height down, every last one of them in a night.

Ardesia: Raccoon! I hadn't thought of my pal, Rocky. We spotted him several times over the winter, raiding the bird feeders. Haven't seen him since the weather turned wamer. Hmmm.
Well, Rocky or not, he likes oranges, but not lemons. Thanks goodness for small favors. :)

Not positive but I think feeding deer might be illegal in SC and if it isn't it should be. That just invites them from miles around to your neighborhood buffet. People feed the deer on Fripp and they are the sickest looking bunch of animals I have ever seen.

Has anyone tried the motion detector sprinklers?

Found a product that worked effectively for me in preventing deer defoliation for the past 5 years---"Deer $topper". The financial hit was worth it! They wouldn't touch anything consistently sprayed with it (once a month). I started my "deer prevention" schedule right on time this year (April) with "Deer Stopper" but found it wasn't working anymore. They ate right through it. Vigna Caracalla, Knock Out roses, Daylillies (flower buds only---not the whole plant, like in the past), Euphorbia ( hope that taught those $&^@*r's something!). Switched to a Lesco product called "Liquid Fence", thinking that a slightly different formulation might throw them off. Seems to have...so far. Also, changed from spraying once a month to once every 2 weeks... So far, so good...! Lord knows, Bambi's a cuddly sweet thing in Disneyworld, but hell-on-wheels in a garden!

Lamb
My neighbor has the motion detector sprinklers and it is installed right next to her front steps (deer didn't used to come that close)... long story short ---she swears she sees them come up the walkway at night with a towel and shampoo.

Tonight, driving home from the grocery store -- a little side road was positively glowing with fireflies. The most I have seen in ages. And, like many of you - we have seen dragonflies (pairs and pairs) more than ever for the last 10 days or so.

Question:
I bought a mosquito zapper - the bug gets attracted to the black light and the bait and it gets vaporized when it touches the electric grate. But, I haven't begun using it yet because I am afraid it will also zap the dragonflies and other beneficial insects. Anyone with any experience with this?

Stono, I think you are right in assuming a different formula might be needed. I have successfully (as long as I remembered to apply it regularly) used Deer Off for years but this year they seem to be attracted to it.

Several neighbors report using a combination of the Liquid Fence (which smells horrible) and the motion detector works well. Another neighbor relieves himself in the garden at night and he says that is most effective. Hmmmmmm :-)

"she swears she sees them come up the walkway at night with a towel and shampoo"
OMG - too funny! Thanks for that - I needed a good chuckle this morning, Rosie..

Yeah, I thought it was funny too but I couldn't even almost crack a smile... She was so frustrated -- I think she may try dynamite next time....

Peanut butter?

MR, that is so funny but I can appreciate her frustration. This pic was taken by the owner of the daylily nursery I'm affiliated with here. He had the camera in one hand and you can see the other.

How high is the fence he has around his DL fields? LOL