I just learned recently about cole crop moth/worms, otherwise would not have thought to look under the leaves, let alone determine the significance of teeny bumps... the imported cabbageworm does lay wee elongated whitish eggs, singly (so might see 1 or 2 on a leaf). Pics in this link: http://www3.telus.net/conrad/insects/icw.html For my potted crops, I don't have too many so looking under & just squishing the eggs actually worked. But in the (rather crowded) garden bed I haven't been so diligent - hence, more holey leaves (slugs also seem more active there). Apparently there are other such critters too; the link below doesn't have pics but does describe the moths, larvae, and where to find the eggs. Here is a link that might be useful: Cabbage patch pests: http://eap.mcgill.ca/CPCM_8.htm

This post gets spurts of activity. I guess it is a semi common problem. First off, my original intent was to find alternatives to the sticky traps, tapes etc. Second, as I mentioned in my secondary response/follow up, I realized the root of my problem, and that was the fly's laying eggs in the litter box, prior to being added to the bin. Solved that problem, smaller box, empty more often. But that did not entirely elminate the problem. Although I HAVE elminated the problem, no more flies for me and no sticky tape. Here are the steps that it took to elminate the flys, house fly or fruit fly. 1) Empty rabbit box more often 2) Freeze food scraps prior to adding to bin (But I had been doing this all along, which had already elminated the fruit flies) 3) Feed less, I was, as alot of us do in the begining, was over feeding my system, which was inviting unwanted mouths to the feast. Less is more, all feed should be eaten in a matter of days or you are asking for problems. 4) Less moisture, my system was too wet. 5) Create a "dry" layer on the very top. This, I think, is one of the biggest deterents for house flies. They want to lay their eggs in the moist goodness of your worm material, not a dry layer, and they can not "dig" to get to the moist layer. I use a piece of cardboard or a burlap sack. It has in no way been effected my bin by having this layer on the top. In fact it has help keep it from drying out. Since the bin that I use inside is almost entirely fed with rabbit manure it wasn't getting the moisture that most get from their organic material breaking down, so I would have to add water more frequently then most systems would, the layer on top helped conserve the moisture I barely have to water at all now. 6) Beneficial Nematodes. Now we get into a grey area, some will accept these, others will not. Prior to treating my bin with these I had the problem "under control" but in no way eliminated. I think this is what made the final difference. That said I am not sure I would do this on a regular basis. Due mostly to the cost. Ideally I would like my worm bins to be a free of charge addition to my garden game plan, so dislike the idea of purchasing these. However, I will be getting more this spring to treat my front lawn, so would treat the bins at the same time. I just don't know if I would purchase for the sole purpose of treating the bins. They do not ship the nematodes in winter, so in the end it would not be a year round solution anyway. Since I have my bins out side in the spring/summer and will on bring it back inside for winter, this option looses viability. So for what it's worth, that has been the solution to my fly problem. Good luck. Kat

There are so many cats ant its a small rv park.nobody seems to be able to controle there pets here.its made a nasy fly nursery out of both my lawn and garden.I got a five gallon carboy turned into a fly trap and its getting a massive amount of flys.the l as ever funnel seems to make no difference and I even trap fruit flies well in it.bait was simple,yeast bakeing powder and some source of food scraps.almost anything ferments and different food atracts different flys.hell even the flys are fermenting.after I mix a batch I let it ferment and when its done I cap it tight and forget about it for two weeks.then it goes in the fly traps.carefull though,this stuff is a cross between a landfill and an open pit of rotting corpses.when you make it you'll know exactly what I mean.I notice sometimes I get a second ferment in the fly trap.this is ok,and doesn't seem to slow down the flys.dead ones ferment and then rot,adding to the already frightening smell.DO NOT USE INDOORS!I'm serious, this is foul stuff. I packed out a 2 liter bottle trap in two days with it.but use with caution.with I could trap the cats with it to.I'm over run and under gunned.

Hi all, I have 2 large, old beds of viola odorata underpinning my rose garden and, starting 3 years ago, I've been invaded by what I finally figured out are Prodiplosis violicola Took me almost a year to identify... So, having discovered what the little misery is, went looking for how to get rid of it (since spraying with Greenlight Rose Defense, which I do for walking stick troubles on the roses, was clearly having no effect). OSU says that while it was once considered the worst pest in the viola industry it is "now uncommon." So, how did I get so lucky? I've denuded the beds, literally down to the ground for two years now, twice a year. I'm about to go out and do it again this afternoon because "they're baaack!" Has anyone found a way to successfully make these guys "uncommon" in an established bed? I keep scalping, but then I turn around and there they are again! This seems to be linked to a pretty severe swerve in weather patterns around here as the timing coincides with San Diego getting to be part of the "monsoon pattern" for much of the summer. I'm guessing that as long as this increased summer humidity sticks around, I'm going to be fighting these bugs. I'm really reluctant to rip them out permanently—they've been there for 50 years (I found an old photo of the house that shows even larger violet beds back in the 60s), so I'm hoping someone has found a more successful method that doesn't involve scalping to bare earth every year. Nematodes? Midge-eating bugs? I'm really trying to stay "safe" in my methods not hurt my beneficials.