Natural Solutions to Things That Bug You (36 page)

    It will skeletonize leaves of a variety of plants including geranium, German ivy, rose and many fruit trees as well as a number of deciduous shade trees.

REMOVING THE PROBLEM

Look for the egg masses and remove them, then paint the areas with creosote. If you have birds around they will give you a hand and the scary looks of the caterpillar will not affect them at all.

LITTLE BEETLE SAVES THE DAY

The tiny dermastid beetle called
Trogoderma sternale
will feed on the eggs and are used as a natural control in Southern California.

PESTS FOR WHICH PHEROMONES ARE COMMERCIALLY AVAILABLE

             
CATERPILLAR PEST                                                        CROP                           

              Black Cutworm……………………………              Vegetable Gardens

              Codling Moth              ……………………………..              Apple, Pear & Walnut Trees

              Leafroller…………………………………..              Orchard Crops, Grapes

              Orange Tortrix…………………………….              Citrus Trees, Grapes, Berries

              Oriental Fruit Moth………………………..              Orchard Crops

              Peach Twig Borer…………………………              Stone Fruits, Almond

              Redbanded Leafroller…………………….Orchard Crops

              Tomato Pinworm………………………….              Tomatoes

              Beet Armyworm……………………………Vegetable Gardens

              Cabbage Looper………………………….              Vegetable Gardens

              Diamondback Moth……………………….              Cole Crops

              Fruit Tree leafroller………………………..Orchards

              Tentiform Leafminer              ………………………Apple Trees

              Apple Pandemis…………………………..              Apple Trees

              Variegated Cutworm………………………Vegetable Gardens

              Artichoke Plume Moth…………………….Artichokes

              Sunflower Moth……………………………              Sunflowers

              Carpenter Worm………………………….              Fruit Trees

              Potato Tuberworm………………………..              Potatoes, Tomatoes

              Peachtree Borer…………………………..              Stone Fruit

CHAPTER 7

TREE PESTS

TREE PESTS

  CRAWLEES ON FRUIT TREES

To get rid of most crawling insect pests on fruit trees, just mix 1 cup of canola oil and 2 tablespoons of Ivory Liquid Soap™ in a 1-gallon container of water. The oil and soap should be mixed first and then add the water.

STOPPING SNAILS AND SLUGS

    To stop snails and slugs from climbing your fruit trees, just protect the tree by placing a 3-inch wide strip of thin copper sheeting completely around the trunk about 1-2 feet from the ground.

Slugs like a moist area to live and reproduce especially fruit rinds and damaged fruit that is left lying on the ground. The dryer the area is, the fewer slug problems you will have. Sprinkling any type of salty solution around the tress will deter slugs

GROUND APPLES ARE BAD

When apples fall on the ground they are perfect locations for a number of insects to start housekeeping in. Remove any apple or other fruit when it falls to the ground. This will reduce the bug population that may cause damage to your fruit trees.

KILLING THE WINTERING INSECTS

Many insects spend their winter in trees waiting for the warmer weather of spring. It would be wise to eliminate these insects before they become active again. Special winter or dormant oils should be used when the trees are dormant. These are heavy oils that are slow to evaporate and should be used before new growth starts to appear in the spring. The oils will not harm the tree but will kill the vacationing insects. Be sure that the tree is well watered before spraying any oil.

SCALE REMOVER

To remove scales on trees, just use mustard seed flour. The scales will suffocate if the flour is sprinkled or sprayed on them. To prepare a spray solution, just mix 1 pound of mustard seed flour with 1 gallon of water and use in a sprayer.

ALL AROUND OIL

The summer or superior oils are lightweight and can be used all year round. These oils have the ability to smother the pests and their eggs by clogging them up. Be sure that any tree that is to be oiled is well watered before spraying the oil. If the plant or tree is under, lack of moisture stress, it can damage the plant or tree.

SPECIAL OIL SPRAY

2              Quarts of tap water

1               Teaspoon of horticultural oil

2              Cups of isopropyl alcohol

The alcohol mixed with the oil will kill bugs on contact. The oil helps the mixture stick around long enough to really do some good.