A non toxic way to kill bugs

15 years ago

I've found a way to kill soft scale and mealy bugs, even a bad infestation as long as it's not a big plant. Burn them! I took long a handled butane lighter and fried the suckers. I just ran the flame along the stem and the undersides of the leaves. The scale explode quickly and the mealy bugs kind of melt. The bugs are gone before the plant is damaged. This wouldn't work on a large plant and it does kind of stink but it seems to have worked. I actually got a kind of sick pleasure watching the scale explode. lol

Karyn

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Comments (16)

fool4flowers
15 years ago
It didn't hurt the plant? I just talked to Patty and she was gloating over watching the grasshoppers looking things curl up and die that she just sprayed, lol. They were eating holes in her plants.
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karyn1
Original Author
15 years ago
The foliage looks fine. You move the flame back and forth quickly so it doesn't singe the plant. I did hold it on a couple areas of an orange tree bit too long and there's a few spots of discoloration on some leaves but otherwise all appears fine and the bugs are definitely quite dead. I could just see myself with a blow torch for the bigger plants! lol
Karyn
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Water will be no issue since I have a drip system that also goes to the citrus tree. I am thinking of a fan. I have some spare solar cells from my solar lanterns (got replaced by the company a while back). One has been converted to a battery charger (had 4 extra NiMH why not, lanterns do charge batteries). Maybe the other one can be used to drive a small 3V or less fan on the lid. Wet inside, fan on the top, could be interesting. As for winter, I'm thinking of making a mini-greenhouse enclosure around it (use the wood that was used for the bench when the bin was indoors :-( ). Only concern is not to fry them when the heat picks up. I heard someone mention use a wheat germ sock?? to help warm the bin or compost. Is this recommended. I have used Wheat germ before and boy does it get hot. I was thinking of packing a toilet paper role with wheat germ and newspaper (so it's not too anaerobic). Does this sound like a plan. The worms have plenty of space to hide in the bin (stacked OSRC JR). Oh Kelly, we had quick conversation on the stacking etc. Well definitely see some issues with my OSCR JR. Big issue is the weight of the top bin compressing unfinished items in the lower bin like newspaper. Thinking some shims on the side may help such that the bin sits nicely on the bottoms unfinished compost, then lower it slower as the bottom bin becomes more finished. I know the easiest would be to split the bin. Since they are outside I might do that, but in the spring when the weather is better. Right now the worms are hiding in the lower bin (a little warmer now).
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fool4flowers
15 years ago
Lol, when we lived in the country I think I became a bit of a pyromaniac. My favorite thing to do was drag up dead limbs with the truck or tractor and have a bonfire and I had to burn the weeds out of the fields every year. That was pretty scarry sometimes but exciting. I had to plow up the whole road once to make a fire break because the fire spread into the woods. Thank god it stopped it. I hated seeing the clutter everywhere and burned every weekend that I was able to do it, lol. I think living on that 450 acres and trying to take care of it for so long is what did me in and made me old before my time, lol. It was hard work every day to keep it from getting taken over by the woods again and that was only the already cleared areas and around the ponds and house. We used to grow hay for the cows and horses in those fields. I wish I had some of that energy back now that I have a house of my own.
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hong2007
15 years ago
Whoaaaa...pyromania!!!
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eloise_ca
15 years ago
Whoa Rambo Karyn! Your 2nd post, definitely Rambo with a blow torch!

Kristy, fire certainly can get out of control quickly so you were very lucky!
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karmahappytoes
15 years ago
karyn1, you need to get a steamer as it does about the same and is a lot safer! I can just see you with a flame thrower!!
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gardenpaw
15 years ago
Desperate times call for desperate measures! LOL :)
Hey if it works thats great!
Im sure the neighbors would think I was fixing up some kind
of brug stir fry! LOL I would probably end up burning the
plant.
Karen
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karyn1
Original Author
15 years ago
I have a steam buggy. Never thought of using it. Actually I haven't used it for anything in quite a while. Maybe I dig through the storage room and see if I can find it. I'm just having such a good time frying the scale especially. It's such a perverse pleasure. lol It's really odd for me. I can't even kill a slug and you should see what they've done to my plants! I took a couple pics of slug damage and will post later.
Karyn
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oxmyx
15 years ago
Karyn... shocking Bambi and now fun bursting bugs!

what? Did you pull off the wings of flies as a child? ;)
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fool4flowers
15 years ago
Lol, she has had enough. Teach those critter to mess with your plants. Mine fight back so I'm scared to do to much to them, lol. What kind of things do scale bother. I don't think I've ever seen them before?
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ibartoo
15 years ago
When my son was little, he loved to put salt on slugs and watch them dehydrate. Karyn, I take it you would enjoy the same thing? LOL, I can't quite see me trying it, but I can picture you with a torch.
Wonder if the flame thrower would back the tree rats off? :)
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karyn1
Original Author
15 years ago
I can't do the salt thing. I tried it and felt so bad I ran to get water to rinse it off! lol I refuse to kill a bug that gets inside. I catch them and release them outside. I won't let the kids kill bugs either. I'm like the biggest bug lover that's why it was so odd for me to enjoy roasting the scale. But I do like it : )
Karyn
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neonposey
15 years ago
Do you think it would fry earwigs til they pop into a million pieces? I just found a whole family living in the new leaves of my Mountain Msgic. Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!
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jumpin4joy
15 years ago
I was always taught dont kill anything unless you plan to eat it so ? what do ya think Wanna give it a try. LOL You already cooked it now add the salt. LOL
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lovelyiris
15 years ago
I'll pass J4J none for me please. I'll take the chocolate covered grasshoppers. LOL

Karyn and her blow torch what a sight to imagine. (grin)
I guess it does qualify as a non toxic way to kill bugs. But look at the smell, thinking out loud, you might get high on the smell of the brugs roasting a tad bit. LOL

Happy Roasting Scale and other insects, someone pass the marshmellows my way. Some how that just doesn't sound right, does it?
Marian
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fool4flowers
15 years ago
Aha, now we know why she enjoyed it so much! The fumes got to her, lol. Poor Karyn getting picked on for roasting bugs. I would too if I had the nerve. I just realized how often I post "mine died". Dang I lost a lot of brugs over the winter. I'm scared to do anything to hurt them, lol. I will never get cuttings again during the later winter or at least not be buying the expensive ones then. I don't seem to have that much trouble growing other things but passion flower vines. I've killed several of those as well and keep getting them, lol.
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A non toxic way to kill bugs

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A non toxic way to kill bugs

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