Guineas are truly the way to go if you are trying to not use pesticides. We use 8-10 guineas to keep insects down in the yard and garden. They do not damage the plants or vegetables. The only two insects that I noticed they did not control as well as they did others were squash bugs and large tomato(tobacco) hornworms. After I picked the large hornworms off, the guineas were able to keep the young ones "gathered"! Be aware that the guineas like to get under the tomato plants to lay eggs and also create nests for setting. If you are going to use the guineas, you need to have some older keets (4-5 months old now) and put them in the pen they will have as their home. The best way to train them to come "home" each evening is 1) leave them in the pen for several weeks after you get them before you let any of them out; otherwise, they will take off to parts unknown. 2) Then, begin to train them by allowing 1 or 2 out of the pen for a while each day. They will want to get back in the pen with the others. 3) Do this for a few weeks before you let them all out. 4) Choose a phrase/word and use that phrase/word every day when you start outside to the pen in the evening to feed them. They will learn to associate the word/phrase with returning to their pen and being fed. It is easiest to get the guineas to "pen up" around the beginning of sunset. Also, you need to make sure the run for your pen has an enclosed top (chicken wire or netting of some type) or your guineas will fly out and roost in trees or on top of buildings. This will make them easy prey for predators. They will need to have a high roost board in their house because they will not roost on the floor like chickens will. It doesn't have to be anything fancy, just a 2x4 run across a span of their house at least 4 feet off the floor. Best of luck with your guineas - they are a hoot to watch when they chase grasshoppers. More entertainment than watching TV!

I purchased a lavender female in the summer and was given a brown male. they free range. She laid eggs in August and hatched 11 keets. I kept them confined for three weeks and let them loose. its December and I'm have five plus the parents (lost some to resident hawks and a bald eagle). at least one offspring is female. is there concern If the offspring breed amongst themselves next year? also, to share my experience, I have not had a problem with noise like some others. they call for each other and if threatened. once my pit terrier mix was causing a ruckus with them and when I got there the dog was running for his life with mom and dad guinea chasing him at full speed and voice, but most of the time they are usually not noisy. they live mostly in 330' by 60' garden surrounded by electric fence. they have part of shed and roost in it at night. they wander out of garden to rest of yard (3.5 acres) and surrounding farmland (nearest house 1,000 Ft). they like to look at their reflection in my basement windows. In warmer weather they would roost in tree near house. my chickens are in tractor in garden and guinea dad does seem to torment them by running up to wire mesh and scaring them. I have had chickens get loose and never saw any problem with guineas. they are not far from the road but I never saw them in the street. I feed a corn type crumbles for game birds at night or whenever I get into the garden. they follow me when they think they are getting fed. they drink from drippers (although chickens wont). I showed one guinea how to drink and they all seemed to figure it out.

That is it!!! Thank you so much. I took the two off, but it's amazing how quickly they damaged the plant. I have my bug guy coming to spray the yard again after Isaac has left, and I'll be sure to keep a keen eye on the papaya. I was glad to read that they are almost always found on papayas, so my other 8 trees are (cross your fingers) in the clear. I have had such trouble with papaya here. This is my second try after my first one was overcome with spider mites. Thank you again for the quick response!

I think a good strategy for the average gardener (as opposed to a commercial farmer) is to get rid of the weeds. Then plant desirable plants in their place. Mulching in the bare spots helps too. Expecting insects to eliminate weeds will probably not get the results you want. The emerald ash borer is doing a great job killing all of our untreated ash trees though!