Garden tragedy-toxic Sevin has wiped out my Dad's honeybees
serenasyh
14 years ago
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jim1961 / Central Pennsylvania / Zone 6
14 years agolast modified: 9 years agoserenasyh
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Sevin and mercury
Comments (47)Chris near Springfield.....Here in central Indiana I first noticed JBs about 20 years ago on some rose blooms. After a few more years they were getting kind of bad...eating ripe [especially sweet varieties] peaches and decimating the top leaf growth of plum trees. In 2003 I trapped 270,000 of the bugers and killed thousands more with Sevin spray on wild grape vines and plum trees. I also hand killed many more. They also were bad on the outside rows of soybeans near me. I killed a bunch of them there too. In 2004 I bought some Milky Spore and used most of it on my daughter's yard in Brookston and used a small amount in crucial areas in my yard. Well, in 2010 I saw only a few JBs and last year I counted 8. I am not sure just what all has worked, including prayer. One year I set up a trap too close to my silking corn and in 3 hours it was nearly, but not, ruined. Now I heartily believe in traps set early to kill the bugers as soon as possible to cut down on damage and to keep the females from laying eggs...be sure to use the scent for females also!! I know that traps get a bad press, but I know that those beetles that I trap and drop in really hot water will do no more damage. Do not dump the dead beetles anywhere other than a road where they will be run over or a fire as some have unhatched larva in them....See MoreSevin Insecticide
Comments (11)Agreed, Idon't like using pesticides either, especially on something that I plan to eat. The Sevin is just the stuff from the hardware store that you mix with water. The label says it's safe for leafy vegetables, lettuce, etc, but not to eat for 5 days after application, and then wash well. I have a 1 quart spray bottle that I use to spot apply directly to the beetles, not widely broadcasting and killing the beneficials as well. I have a "sacrificial" rose bush that seems to lure them in and keep them off other plants, there I can spray them directly while they are on the flowers. Funny thing, the JB are not bothering the basil planted in the ground 5 feet away, just the stuff that is in a planter box 4' away. Tonight, I am going to try building a "hoop tunnel" with floating row cover and dowels, sealed as tightly as I can make it, to hopefully create a physical barrier and keep them out. Doesn't have to be pretty, but I really want the basil for cooking! The marigolds, I'm not so sure yet. I may just continue the spot control like on the roses. I haven't tried the traps, but I read somewhere the best place to put them is in your neighbors yard!! Thanks everyone for the advice. I love this forum, good advice, and always quickly offered! Steve...See MoreAnything better then Sevin for Japanese Beetles?
Comments (9)Crabjoe: 1. Look at the label on your container of Sevin. The standard strength is 23.4% carbaryl, which is the active ingredient. The accuracy with which you measure your mix is important. The insert will give amounts in teaspoons, but I prefer to use fluid ounces, measured in a small graduated Pyrex pitcher. For effective use against Japanese beetles, I would use a minimum of 1 1/2 fluid ounces and a maximum of 2 fluid ounces per gallon of water. I doubt that your Sevin has suffered from freezing, but you may need to check your mixing and application methods. 2. Sevin is a contact insecticide, and does not have to be ingested by the beetles to be effective. When I spray JB's with Sevin (or other Carbaryl insecticides) they start to fall within 30 seconds or sooner. The residual chemical should be effective for at least 3 days. But it must be properly mixed in sufficient strength to be effective. 3. If you plan to put down milky spore on your acre, do not delay until fall. Get up online right now, find Yardiac.com, and order in two 40 oz. cans of pure milky spore, together with the tube applicator, to cover your acre. In round numbers, cost will be about $150. This amount of product will result in a lower rate than the recommended 40 oz. per 10,000 sq. ft., but it will still be fully effective. You will have to decrease your application rate and increase the grid size from the recommmended 4x4 to around 6x6, and drop 1/2 tsp. or less with each bump rather than a full teaspoon. If your neighbors will allow it, applying to even part of their property bordering yours will help. The ideal situation, of course, would be to talk them into applying MS as well. 4. You have grubs in your soil right now, and the milky spore will go to work immediately. The sooner you get it on, the sooner it will begin to spread and infect larvae. I applied mine last season (2006) at about this time, and so far have seen three Japanese beetles on my acre. Two of them were together, engaged in you-know-what, and the other was a singleton, looking for a mate. 5. I am establishing a registration requirement and assigning serial numbers to each Japanese beetle I find this season. So far we have 1, 2, and 3 as of June 25. That's a pretty favorable situation for my orchard and garden, and the credit goes to the milky spore. Don Yellman, Great Falls, VA...See MoreFire ants and chiggers - non-toxic controls?
Comments (16)Be aware that almost without exception, all medicines come from something 'natural' and any 'natural' product that has medicinal properties can also have side effects including Neem oil "Potential Neem Side Effects in Children Neem seems to be fairly toxic to children. There have reports of very serious, sometimes immediate neem side effects in children. These reported side effects include: Vomiting Loose stools Drowsiness Overly acidic blood Anemia High levels of white blood cells Seizures Loss of consciousness Coma Swelling in the brain Loss of life." " Many people assume that neem is automatically free of side effects because it is a "natural" product. However, it is reasonable to assume that any natural product with medicinal properties is capable of causing side effects. Neem side effects can be especially dangerous in children." "Possible Side Effects of Neem A few clinical studies have reported side effects with neem. These possible side effects included: Low or no urine production (which may be a sign of kidney damage) Kidney damage Liver damage Yellow skin (jaundice), which may be a sign of liver damage Destruction of red blood cells Allergic reaction, which may cause symptoms such as: A rash or hives Itching Swelling of the mouth or throat Wheezing Difficulty breathing." That said, I've had exceptionally good luck eliminating fire ants with any of the baits that contain spinosad. Here is a link that might be useful: Neem side effects...See Morebethnorcal9
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14 years agolast modified: 9 years agojim1961 / Central Pennsylvania / Zone 6
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14 years agolast modified: 9 years agojim1961 / Central Pennsylvania / Zone 6
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