I just read this!
"A word of warning to folks who keep free-range poultry: Rose Chafers can poison and kill poultry and other birds."
No further explanation was offered.
I have tons of Rose Chafers right now and my 3 week old
Runner Ducklings have been gobbling them up!
Does anybody know anything about this?
Rose Chafers (beetle pests) can be poisonous to Poultry?!?
Found this:
http://ipm.ncsu.edu/AG189/html/Rose_Chafer.HTML
Apparently it is true. They contain a chemical called cantharidin, a blistering agent. It didn't say how many beetles would have to be eaten to cause a problem.
Great!
Now what?
They fly all over my acreage.
Theres no way to prevent my ducks from eating them.
UGH!
I did a search and it only talks about its effect on horses.
www.aspcapro.org/mydocuments/k-toxbrief_1099.pdf
This message was edited Jun 12, 2010 9:36 PM
I googled "Rose Chafer Poultry Toxin" and there was an awful lot about it. A lot of it was from University Extension, so I guess it is a real problem.
Probably depends on several factors: how many are eaten, the age and size of the poultry, the life stage and maybe diet of the chafers.
Still it is a huge pain.
Oh dear! I have roses, whatever pests that can be mentioned, and I want runner ducks too! Don't know much about rose chafers, but since they have now been mentioned on this forum they will soon appear in my garden (that's how it works). Is there some sort of preditor insect that can help with these? Maybe if the beni insects get to them before the ducks......
I have a lot of roses. I'm in zone 9 but I haven't heard of rose chafers in Texas, you may not get any.
I have everything else! Maybe there is no room! =D
I vaguely remember reading they are more of a problem in the north so you may not have to deal with them in TX.