Ymaddox: Commercial beneficial nematodes were invented to lighten up gardener's wallets. If nematodes were adapted to your soil and climate conditions, they would already be there. The nematode producers might argue that buying their product stimulates the economy, which it certainly does from their perspective. But it doesn't do much for yours. Don Yellman, Great Falls, VA

Strawberryhill, thanks for the link..I've actually been thinking about putting up a bat house, but would have trouble getting it high enough off the ground, since I'm afraid of heights! Since the 'Forestry Commission' is using nematodes to combat midge, I am feeling hopeful that perhaps this will help next year. I really, really missed my roses this summer! Judith

Hi again, Thanks for the follow ups... First, I had no idea that the mantis were wild harvested, and like you, think this is not acceptable. I guess I imagined a mantis farm where they breed thousands...but, no, not if they go and take them from their habitat. However your comment "Mantids not as much because the ones people are buying are not native usually to begin with. " does that imply there are mantis farms? I can certainly research it on the web also, just thought if you knew. Second, the suggestion for nematodes for specific climate...again...wow, had not thought of that either...and don't know if the nematode place would have brought that up. Third, no, will not spray permectrin again...it was a last ditch attempt... And we too have seen the frontline will sometimes work on ticks, sometimes not, same with fleas. Depends on the year and who has resistance...last year we switched to Advantage for awhile and that seemed to work, but we are reading some things that give us cause for pause...most all the products caution against using on elderly or otherwise compromised animals, and that is what we have a preponderance of. We don't have "grass" to speak of, being on the side of a mountain in the middle of the woods...one year we spread sulfur around the immediate areas and it drove the ticks off...this winter has been very mild so the ticks should be in abundance. Do any of you know if the sulfur would hurt the nematodes? Also, diatameous earth? We plan to start spraying early, as soon as we are sure the last freeze is over. We are expecting that to come early...will spay liberally and every 2 months we are thinking...a trial and error sort of thing. Thanks for the many helpful suggestions... and the link that I will research tonight. Will keep everyone posted... thanks again, palulukon

VV, I must be commenting too much, LOL! Since you qualified as a friendly face, I "followed" you for a few days and didn't notice any difference in notifications. If I'm reading the page right, since you are "following" 25 people, should I have gotten you and all of your "friends" too, right? Or just you? Not sure I got either. And I would love to follow Chris to get Kordes news too! Some people have "follow" after you click on their names and some don't. Is that because they don't want to be followed? Do we have a choice???