http://greenmethods.com/site Biological Pest Control and Integrated Pest Management Mon, 30 Aug 2010 05:01:38 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en Biological pest control, when one first sees it, must seem terribly complex. What with all those fresh terms filling our minds and having to grasp novel ideas like quelling our expectations of instakill-satisfaction, and focusing our biological pest controls strategies such as better identifying our pests and acting proactively. These complexities, however, are common to pest control as a whole for the most part so the biological part of the equation doesn't really add a new layer. Still, using living organisms to control other living organisms worries many. They think to themselves that they must be an entomologist or bug scientist to really succeed at biocontrol. It's just not so.]]> http://greenmethods.com/site/weblog/2010/08/the-entomology-and-ipm-success-relationship/ If you recall from our last Bug Blog entry, summer's good fighting time. And it's true. And in our normal effort to be wicked timely, we have decided to offer you a discount of our Heterorhabditis bacteriophora (Hb) nematodes and our Trichogramma spp. parasitoids for a limited time. This should help make summer an even better fighting time -- since it'll now cost you a little less.]]> http://greenmethods.com/site/weblog/2010/08/summers-a-good-savings-time-too/ August and September is a time when many growers let things slide a bit. Gardeners put their gardens on autopilot to some extent, and commercial growers are either gearing up for the fall season or have closed their doors until next year. Vacation and summer activities take up residence in the mind, before time runs out. But there is still some work to be done, if you want fewer pests problems next year.]]> http://greenmethods.com/site/weblog/2010/08/summers-good-fighting-time/ mealybug-eating Cryptolaemus montrouzieri beetles. ]]> http://greenmethods.com/site/weblog/2010/08/crypts-huge-overstock-sale/ It's awfully important to know what critters you have in your greenhouse or garden. Critically important, in fact, if you want to use something other than a nasty, broad-spectrum pesticide to control them. But this is easier said than done. Fortunately getting super-specific isn't always necessary -- many good bugs handle a range of pests making general identification acceptable most of the time -- and where it is, resources are in place and available to help you. Here's a quick run-down of these resources.]]> http://greenmethods.com/site/weblog/2010/08/identifying-greenhouse-and-garden-pests/ A number of folks have been calling wanting to order one or more of our Trichogramma spp. miniwasps hoping to control caterpillars. Unfortunately, Trichogramma spp. are moth egg parasitoids and thus don't control caterpillars, at least not directly. Of course there are other options, large predatory bugs like the spined soldier bug (Podisus maculiventris) can impact local caterpillar populations. But one of the easiest, most cost-effective ways to deal with caterpillars is to use one of our Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) formulations. And to make Bt even more cost-effective, for a limited time we're discounting selected products. It's time to stock up!]]> http://greenmethods.com/site/weblog/2010/07/selected-bt-products-on-sale/ I often explain why making multiple releases of biocontrols makes sense in human terms. I typically do this over the phone, but I don't think I've ever written about my oft-used analogy. The one I resort to most often is to compare releasing of biocontrols to the US Civil War tactic where rows of infantry -- the Line -- would keep pressure on opposing forces by creating an unceasing barrage of fire.]]> http://greenmethods.com/site/weblog/2010/07/why-multiple-biocontrol-releases-makes-sense/ We would have put our predatory mite Phytoseiulus persimilis or beetle Stethorus punctillum on sale being it's summer and spider mite pressure is high. But current demand is such to warrant production concerns as it is (in terms on quantity, not quality). Thus, instead we figured it'd be better to treat those already lucky enough to not have significant mite problems with a sale on our preventive, low-infestation-managing predatory mite Neoseiulus fallacis.]]> http://greenmethods.com/site/weblog/2010/07/two-weeks-of-summer-fallacis-sale/ We like to produce a hopefully entertaining yet somewhat educational piece of fiction once a year, an anecdote, for your enjoyment as well as our own. Historically this was done in our catalog, then it became an online practice right around catalog time. This year, while we're on a vacation of sorts, offering a vacation from seriousness in the form of the following story seemed fitting. Enjoy.]]> http://greenmethods.com/site/weblog/2010/07/linoland/ We mentioned in our last weblog entry that we were celebrating the arrival and availability of the summer beetles. Specifically we mean a brand new generation of our ladybugs (Hippodamia convergens) is being collected as I write this. In honor of this we hinted that we might just have a sale. Well, we are. Enjoy.]]> http://greenmethods.com/site/weblog/2010/06/2010-summer-beetles-sale/ Independence Day -- the fourth of July -- will soon be upon us. For us it's always been a demarcation line of sorts. Being that for years our customers have been almost exclusively of the commercial plant-growing variety, the season would slow down for them, sales of plants done, and the season would consequentially slow down for us, too. Now, however, between parks and other institutions, interiorscapers, and more home gardeners finding us on the web than ever before (those sold plants are now in their, your, hands, perhaps), our season has been extended right through to the end. And we're with you all the way. But first, here are two important announcements.]]> http://greenmethods.com/site/weblog/2010/06/holiday-announcement-and-the-summer-beetles/ Last week we told you about one expert's observations of the beetle Atheta coriaria -- useful against several soil pests like fungus gnats -- and we promised we'd put them on sale to further encourage you to try them out. Well, we've put this promise into action, now offering a limited-time sale of these predators. Check 'em out now and save.]]> http://greenmethods.com/site/weblog/2010/06/atheta-observed-now-on-sale/