The last 2 nights I have found what appears to be a swarm of baby June Bugs on my mandevilla, honeysuckle, and...well, pretty much anything but my succulents. I used a pesticide that said it would get rid of these things..The bugs are munching away on my leaves...I am just so upset. Can anyone tell me a sure fire remedy for this problem? And why did they seem to appear out of nowhere?? I am a fairly new gardener, so please, any info and guidance would be sooooo appreciated. I live in South Texas..The Coastal Bend area..(near Corpus). If I am in the wrong spot, I apologize..but I am desperate!!
Help!!! Beetles? Baby June Bugs???
I am sorry you are having such a problem, sometimes insects swarm and land on a plant, and pretty much devour it.
If you can pick the bugs, that would help, sometimes I take a pan of boiling hot water and just shake the plant and let them fall in, then I flush them down the toilet.
Can you post a picture of the insect?
Some other people might be able to help.
Josephine.
I am with Frostweed..... sorry to hear about the infestation.
do your neighbors have plants also? If not then by you planting you kind of layed out the welcome mat for them. I am and practice a more , so to say, cooperative approach to gardening. All things work togather. There is a microclimate in every garden. One thing feeds another. They might be pests to you but food to something else, which is food for something else and so on and so on. In order to have a balance you need those pests.
You mentioned that you are kind of new to gardening. If this is your first plantings, then you very well laid out the welcome mat. Please don't panic in any case, you might lose everything this year but when you plant next season those pests will stillbe around or they will return. By adding some beneficials during the plantings you can control the infestation. Yes, those of us who garden this way lose some plants and crops, however to have a booming benefiacial and productive lifescape(garden) you need a mixture of it all. Both the bad and the good.
For now pick what yu can without insecticides(most insecticides work shorterm, but tolerances are biult up to them and beneficial insects that prey on the bad are slower to addapt to the insecticide..so, you end up treating and treating and treating since "we always want results now" and are slow to patience). Very costly, ouch!
also, go to your local nursey and ask for Some Beneficial Nematodes. They will help with the grubs( the larva stage for junebugs) and other bad guys in the soil. Ladybugs will help also and so will lacewings and praying mantis.
Good luck
calvin
Thanks yall..Our new digicam is SUPPOSED to be here by Fed-Ex tomorrow. I will post pics. Also, I have 2 of my closest neighbors and friends, who also garden. They are not having these nocturnal visitors! I dont mind the balance of nature..but I do mind my beautiful foilage being devoured(sp)! I am thinking of a more environmental friendly "bug-off"..got any suggestions? Oh..I think I have narrowed it down to Japanese Beetles..compared some fotos..Also, we have a water garden..Is this a lure or what? I know I have asked a lot questions here..I just am so open to ideas and do so want to learn. I have fallen in love with the whole aspects of plants, trees, flowers...I really, really love perrenials!!
Praying Mantis love japanese beetles. and hand picking is very effective. I got the little buggers this year. Introduced the above insects to help me get rid of the beetles. In about 3 weeks I was beetle free and the mantis moved on to greener pastures. Same thing with my ladybugs for the aphids. I haven't had a problem since.
I don't have many plants to host the beneficial insects so they just move on to other yards. I started this year with making new beds for plants that will give a hotel accomadation for them so maybe next year they will stick around.
Now just in case you end up with the real grubs and june bugs, then good luck. Beneficial nematodes applied early in the fall and spring really help. You will want to treat before the grubs really get growing. The beetles are controled by birds. Lure birds to your back yard and some pest control is free, well, at least it is cheaper than paying a human to do and put Chemicals every where.
Good luck
calvin
nivlac..How do I go about introducing praying mantis? I have to admit..I have always been a bit skittish of them..I know it's silly..but what can I say? As for June Bugs..We have them here no matter what...and I DO not like them..I will break and run if one gets on me..Comes from back when we were kids..my big sister used to grab me..hold me down.and put them all on me!! NOT a pleasant memory..but kids just being kids. She made the comment, once we got grown that she didnt know WHY she was so mean to me when we were kids..I told her...I guess it was her just doin what big sisters do! Oh dont get me wrong..we had lots and lots of fun..We grew extremely close. She passed away 8 years ago at the young age of 41...I think I would actually pretty much give anything to have her around to do her "June Bug Deed" once again....
Hey, my condolences (8 yrs late).
Praying mantisi-- you can buy their egg pods at home D and Lows every spring. Follow the directions and when the egg pod hatches they will do their thing. Just remember that like ladybugs, you really need habitat for them (shade, protectio, food-the pest infestation) for them to stay. If your don't they will move on to other's yards. Course that is fine if it is your neighbors, they will go back and forth from their yard and yours for food.
Junebugs-- your can treat with chemicals- blah-. they work but ccan really damage the microclimate of your are treated. You cold let them be this year and when spring comes concentrate high volumes of Beneficial nematodes, also found at HD an Lws with the mantisi and ladybugs. they will work. To treat for gown beetles prune trees for easy acces and shade, homes for birds they love the beetles d'vers. Bird houses help, or just start tossing bird seeed on your lawn( I do this) they come and eat and that keeps them around for eating beetles in june.
No man made chemicals- just nature running it course with a little influence and encouragement for man.
good luck and check your local nursery or nearby nursery to see whe they carry them and/or if they can order them.
calvin
Wow! You have given me so much info! I am soooo appreciative! May I ask if you learned all this from experience or formal education? Either way, I hope, one day, to have half the knowledge you do. I hope you dont mind me asking..I just know there is sooo much I need to learn. I love to read..so if you know any books you would recommend or certain forums on here..please tell me! Thanks again! You are most kind..A little footnote:I have a first cousin named Calvin..Other than him and Coolidge, I havent heard the name often. Sorta like mine..Randa..my father's name was Randell..I was supposed to have been a junior, but they got a girl..hence, Randa!
Thank you for the flattering words. You will have to forgive my spelling. I seem to just start typing and well the key board is old and sometimes does not work very well. I am typing slower so I hope this works. When I have time I will preview before sending the post but some times I am short on time.
My knowledge, what little it is, comes from both reading and experience. I remember walking around with my grandfather when I was little and he would explain how everything works together. Little environments within a bigger environment. Take something out and you disrupt everything else. Not to rant and rave, but you can see this in Human society today( I will stop there).
Anyways, I am currently studing (formally) for my Horticulture degree at TX State University, and (personally) a agricultural system ideology called permaculture.
Books to read: well gosh there are so many but easy and quick reading I suggest--- The Naturalist's Garden by Ruth Shaw Ernst and published by Globe Pequot
Dave's Garden is so full of caring and knowledgable folks. If you ever have questions like I do then there is someone here that can help. I don't think I will ever let my membership run out. I love it here.
I stop here to go to bed long day tomorrow
calvin