http://greenmethods.com/site Biological Pest Control and Integrated Pest Management Mon, 21 May 2012 05:01:49 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en Every year around this time the new ladybug beetles (Hippodamia convergens), the ones just collected this spring, become available. And during most years, right before the new beetles get collected, we run out of the older, winter-collected beetles leaving a short gap. Not this year, though. This year we haven't yet run out of our winter-collected stock, so we're offering those beetles at a discount. ]]> http://greenmethods.com/site/weblog/2012/05/ladybugs-on-sale/ We have found a replacement product for our old Drax Ant Kil Gel, a sweet boric acid ant bait formula. We still offer the protein "PF" formula, but the sweet gel is no longer being produced. The replacement: Terro Ant Killer Bait in both a drops formula like the Drax plus a bait station cup which can be used indoors or outdoors with included stakes. The Terro Ant Killer Bait is different in that it contains sodium tetraborate (Borax) instead of orthoboric acid, but the safety and other qualities we've grown to appreciate about boric acid products are retained with this new product.]]> http://greenmethods.com/site/weblog/2012/05/new-introducing-terro-ant-killer-baits/ The Trichogramma spp. are tiny, stingless mini-wasps which parasitize numerous moth and butterfly eggs. Emphasis was added to the word eggs to ensure you understand that timing is important. Not all moth and butterfly pests that you may want to target lay eggs at the same time. That said, many moth and butterfly eggs are available for parasitism at this time of year. Not all moths and butterflies are laying eggs now (though many are), but several laid eggs last year and can be parasitized this year, before they hatch. That's why we're having a sale on Trichogramma spp. now.]]> http://greenmethods.com/site/weblog/2012/05/moth-egg-parasitoids-sale/ We figure a good time to work on preventing a mosquito outbreak is before they gain too much momentum. Since here in New England we've had a lot of dry weather, why not kick them while they're down. Water levels are low so far. This is not only making stream-breeding black flies almost nonexistent this year, but vernal pools and just about all standing water is very limited. If we act now we may have far fewer mosquitoes to deal with. We figured a little Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) israelensis in the form of "Mosquito Dunks" coupled with our economical white cedar bat houses might really help a lot. Neither of these items will offer absolute mosquito control -- and the bat houses need time to do their part -- but combined these items can offer some relief.]]> http://greenmethods.com/site/weblog/2012/04/mosquito-prevention-sale/