This page covers pests that don’t really fall into another category or warrant a page of their own.
Other Pest Menu F-M
On this page we have listed the following pests:
Filth-Breeding Flies
Fly, fly, everywhere a fly? buzzin’ the picnic, an’ ruinin’ my pie? hey, dude, don’t eat that, can’t-chu seee the fly-y? Hey, that could be a song! And that’s cool, but the reality of filth-breeding flies isn’t anything to sing about. You know the critters of which I write-the ubiquitous housefly, Musca domestica, being one prime example. Filth-breeding flies, as their name implies, utilize garbage, feces or manures, dead animals and other sources of “filth” for reproductive purposes. The bacteria and waste materials from these sources turn flies on. They lay eggs on such sources and the larvae or maggots which hatch from said eggs thrive in these conditions. The adults enjoy a taste-treat when visiting these places of fly-delight. They suck it up with their sponge-tube mouth parts while standing in this s— literally, to scale, up to their ankles or knees. Now none of this would be a problem, if only these insects would remain static, as being one with the pile — as flies do play an essential role in the drama of life on earth, but I’ll get to that in a bit. They don’t stick in one place for long, though, because, also as their name implies, they fly. They visit houses and farms, restrooms and restaurants, backyards and bathrooms. And try to have a picnic. If flies are in the neighborhood, they’ll probably visit you and your picnic-fare. The foods, too, they’ll stand ankle deep in while they eat. And this where the problems begin: flies spread germs. When flies are tap dancing on your watermelon, having a good old time, dead animal and poop-pile bacteria are hoping off, thanking the flies for the ride. Flies and pestilence are synonymous. They have been known to spread bacteria which cause diseases.
In retaliation, we kill them. But forget the misters that spritz out a little pesticide (usually pyrethrum) every ten minutes, day-in and day-out. This technique is used by some folks with animals like horses because they care about their horses and don’t want the flies causing eyes infections and other problems. Care? A relentless localized atmospheric pesticide treatment? I don’t know, it sounds less than healthy for the animals. There are definitely better ways to deal with flies. You can start with sound manure management (substitute “manure” with your filth of choice). Clean it up; compost it; haul it off; these are all good ways to deal the stuff flies are bred on. Trapping also helps. Especially with those pesky flies which fly in from other places — before they decide to breed somewhere on your lot. There are many kinds of traps which, basically, all have one thing in common: a stinky bait of some sort. Some of the traps come with a bait prepared and enclosed (just add water), while others provide the bait and/or a recipe to make it yourself. The recipes tend to be a bit on the disgusting side, and since I’ve probably grossed you out enough, I’ll skip the details. Another way to deal with flies it to employ some of their natural enemies. There are many fly pupae-parasitic species which are commercially available. All have small differences which make some species more productive at times, while others more productive at other times. This is why “Fly Parasitoids” are typically supplied as a mixture of species. They are usually implemented in a series of releases throughout the fly season so as to obtain their maximum benefit. Species include Muscidifurax raptor, M. raptorellus, M. zaraptor, Nasonia vitripennis, Spalangia cameroni, S. endius and others fly parasites work very well. Parasitic nematodes can also be effective if used against the larval maggots.
And one last thing, which is pretty new, is to use a probiotic on the manure. A probiotic will eliminate the fly-attracting odors and thus reduce the influx of adult flies. Between all of these choices, control is an obtainable thing without the chemicals. I wrote that I would mention the virtues of flies regarding their role on this planet. It’s a niche, their job of eating manure and the like. The, er, stuff would pile up. If you know what I mean? Flies also pollinate certain crops-onions and other alliums for example-and are essential in this capacity. The maggots of some filth-breeding flies can also poses some medically-curative potential which can be described as nothing short of amazing. Having seen this myself, I can write an emphatically-positive testimonial. It goes like this: My wife and I had a mysterious visitor several years ago: a chicken; a Rhode Island Red. This chicken suddenly appeared one day. We didn’t know from where she came. No neighbor had this breed of chicken. She was badly injured-as if a bird-of-prey had grasped her with talons, carried her to us and dropped her. We named her Wanda because we “wanded” where she came from and didn’t know for sure if she had “wanded” in on her own instead of being dropped. I wasn’t sure how to deal with her injury (which looked awful). I didn’t want to involve a veterinarian and pay the associated bill(s). My wife suggested we do nothing. I was surprised by this, but yielded to the suggestion because my wife has experience on such “farm” matters. I found an old rabbit hutch at our town’s recycling center, brought it home and turned it into a chicken coop. For one chicken it was a penthouse. Naturally, Wanda loved it and moved right in. Within a matter of days Wanda’s wounds were writhing with maggots. I was seriously considering putting Wanda out of her misery. My wife, however, said to wait and let nature take its course. I suspected she knew something I didn’t. I was right. In a few more days, as the maggots devoured the bacteria and waste and left the healthy flesh alone, Wanda began to recover. In a few weeks there was no evidence that she had ever been injured. Amazing. The flies did the work. Wanda became family, was fed the finest chicken-chow, and laid three eggs every two days. Yummy-fresh chicken eggs are the best. The caviar of fowl. Unfortunately, in the following winter, Wanda left us as suddenly as she came. She left no traces. Just an empty penthouse apartment with the iron on and television tuned to some soap opera. We will always “wanda” where she went.
[ Menu ]
Fleas
I have a dog, but I’m no authority on fleas because he isn’t bothered by them. On his first birthday, Salty, my white German shepherd, lapped his cake, candles and all, into oblivion, then made a wish: “No fleeze pleeze.” I guess it worked. Then again, maybe it’s just a coincidence. I do have some knowledge about fleas, though. And, as it is with just about everything in this book, this knowledge stems from lengthy my conversations with people of all walks of life and my habit of poring through books. Fleas are bloodsuckers and prey on mammals. They attack most dogs and cats, and many pet owners as well. They get into homes and breed in lawns. Mighty big pests for being such little ‘uns. However, the bigger they are (in the pest sense), the harder they fall. And fleas fall hard. Keeping them off your dog or cat is the key to keeping them out of your home. But I have no solid information on how this is done without using chemicals. There are many natural products which are supposed to work, stuff like garlic treats, etc., but the feedback I’ve gathered from people about these natural remedies has ranged from “God’s gift to flea control” to “Nope, didn’t work on my dog.” This diversity of response has left me where I started: not knowing for sure. What I do know for sure, based on a more consistent feedback, is fleas can be controlled in the home and in the yard with a couple of things. These are diatomaceous earth (DE) and Parasitic Nematodes. DE, when sprinkled on carpets and swept into the fibers kills all sorts of household pests, fleas included. And the feedback I’ve gotten about the use of plain-Jane Steinernema carpocapsae parasitic nematodes to kill fleas in lawns is truly outstanding. If your pet stays in the yard, Parasitic Nematodes can solve all of your flea problems. Killing them at the source keeps them off of your pet (again, if he or she stays in the yard) and will thus keep them out of your home. It does work and it works well.
[ Menu ]
Flea Beetles
“Paw, come-a-lookie here. Sumun’s blasted yar greens ta smittahreens wittinah shotguun.” If you hear those words, look out, you’re probably dealing with not only hillbillies but flea beetles as well. I’ve had a lot of experience with these merciless little beetles in my garden. They’re small, about two to three millimeters, depending of species. They are blue to black in color, shiny — some metallic — and they hop like fleas; hence their name. Alone they do minute amounts of damage. A little hole or two. But flea beetles don’t work alone and, when combined in vast numbers, their damage is akin to that of which would be caused by some bird shot. Their tiny larval and pupal forms are found in areas lying adjacent to your green and cole crops. The adults move from overwintering places in the spring. They do this in huge masses, or so I’ve seen (and insecticidal soap is a good measure for this situation). They feed on your plants as soon as they find them. Additionally, they lay eggs near these plants, and the subsequent larvae feed on the roots. Fortunately the larvae and pupae fall victim to parasitic nematodes. Garlic sprays may work at repelling the adults, but I haven’t had to try it. The same is true of row covers. Between blasting millions of them with soap when your timing is right and you find them moving in, and using Parasitic Nematodes to take care of the offspring of the ones which do make it through, you will find control.
[ Menu ]
Grasshoppers
These large yellow-tan to green two to five centimeter insects spell doom by way of large-scale crop losses for many growers-especially for those farmers who make use of the wide open spaces out west for the production of grains, grasses and corn. Grasshoppers eat plants causing ragged holes in the leaves. In fact, grasshoppers can take down entire plants. And if enough grasshoppers reside in, or swarm to, areas in sufficient numbers, mass destruction of complete fields may ensue. These pests lay their eggs in the ground, but parasitic nematodes would have little effect as grasshoppers prefer dry, sandy soils and nematodes require moisture for hunting and survival. There is one product, though, which does seem to work well, and is inexpensive enough that it can be utilized by the large-scale farmers in the west. This product is a bran flake bait which is tainted with a pathogen called Nosema locustae. This pathogen spells disfigurement and death to grasshoppers. Timing, though, is very important. The grasshoppers must consume the bait in their immature stages — specifically their second to third instar of development. Other controls may be noteworthy. Some neem-based products are labeled for grasshopper control but, like N. locustae, timing is critical because the active ingredient is neem is azadirachtin, which is an insect-growth regulator (IGR), and targets the immature stages — it prevents them from developing into adults.
[ Menu ]
Gypsy Moths
The larvae of these moths have been really bad. They eat trees. Many species of trees fall prey to these unremarkable-looking, smoke-colored to brownish defoliating caterpillars-with a preference for oak, based on what I’ve seen in my own backyard. They begin life as eggs protected in tan patches made of a felt-like material firmly attached to the trunks of trees. They then grow to about five centimeters as larvae, before they pupate and emerge as adults capable of egg-laying before the end of the season. There are two types of Gypsy moths: the Asian species and the European. In the Pacific Northwest, last that I had heard, anyway, state and federal personnel were trying to keep the Asian Gypsy moth from emigrating from their land and immigrating to ours’. The female moths of the Asian species can fly. Consequently, if that species invades by way the modes of international trade, it could become a widespread pest in a short period of time. The female of the European species-which is well — known in the east where it has become a gradually spreading pest — cannot fly. It is the larvae which can out-maneuver the adults of the European species. The larvae hang from the limbs on which they feed, gradually lowering themselves toward the ground on silken threads, waiting until passersby obligingly carry them away or for wind gusts to “balloon” them to new grounds. The female’s lack of flight has slowed the progress of the invasion of the European species. These moths run in cycles. As this is being written, I haven’t had to deal with European Gypsy moth in a number of years. Oh, but I remember when? When I did, the Green Methods did play a part. Using Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt), a couple of critically-timed releases of Trichogramma spp. mini-wasps, a little bit-o-tree-banding and, of course, the ever-popular attack the egg-masses located within reach. Some communities, even whole states have waged war-some still are. Some have gone with the Bt approach while others have developed programs using either imported parasitoids-the natural enemies of these pests-or are rearing their own. Some communities have chosen poorly by implementing regimens of chemicals.
[ Menu ]
Hemlock Woolly Adelgids
In the yard at my house I have a dozen hemlock trees ranging in size from twelve feet to several which are about seventy feet in height. I love these trees. And when I hear about hemlock woolly adelgids slowly advancing up the east coast, well, I’m beginning to worry if my trees could be at risk. I guess I’ll find out eventually. The march may come to a halt in Massachusetts, though, where releases of Japanese lady beetles, Pseudoscymnus tsugae, specifically reared for these pests, are hopefully going to reduce adelgid numbers very soon. These predacious lady beetles are being reared in New Jersey and are being non-commercially distributed in several eastern states: in addition to Mass. is NJ, PA, NY, RI, VT, NC, VA & WV. For a few years, prior to these Japanese lady beetles, some people having been allegedly having success with the multicolored Asian lady beetle, Harmonia axyridis, and aphid midges, Aphidoletes aphidimyza, but since I’ve been unable to see the results for myself, despite positive feedback, my certainty is wavering. One more last-minute thing which I’ve recently found to be supposedly useful as a feeding deterrent for hemlock woolly adelgids is a specific brand of liquid compost called Feedback. According to the makers of this new product, if you spray Feedback on the hemlocks you’re trying to protect, the adelgids will not feed on those trees. I’m waiting for feedback about Feedback so I can learn more and thus have more to tell. Update: As of 2003, the hemlock woolly adelgid has been seen and identified in New Hampshire.
[ Menu ]
Continuation Pages: 1 » 2 » »
