Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Hi, I'm planning to get the following in the next couple of weeks:

Persimilis (predatory mite) for 2-spotted (spider) mite

Cucumeris and Hypoaspis (predatory mites for leaves and soil) for western flower/onion/etc thrips (basically control everything except greenhouse thrips, but I'm told that the presence of greenhouse thrips is unlikely)

Encarsia formosa (parasitic wasp) for whitefly

This will cost me, but I think it will make a big difference. The spider mites are just starting up and were a big problem last year. The thrips and whitefly have been decimating my basil and other plants. Aphids will start up soon, but I think I'll try other methods of control for them.

Aphids will start up soon. There is a commercial predator for aphids too, but I think I'll try other methods of control for them. Maybe diatomaceous earth.

I've noticed that numbers of jumping spiders, lacewings and other naturally occuring predators are well down from last year, possibly due to the very dry weather.

Trouble is, I can only get these in commercial quantities, so I will have plenty to go around. If anyone else is interested in some, please let me know either here or by PM.

Cheers

Steem, I got 1000 persimilis for less than $40 last year, it came in the post

Yep, so did Monya...but they don't survive the winters down here, so I have to reorder

On our (NASAA-certified Organic) property Caralyn is often asked about companion planting, or, “What about pest control?”

For the past three years she has been very successful in her approach, which is almost “laisser faire”. Her planting is mixed: never a lot of anything close together. The odd caterpillar or bug will have a chew or two, but there hasn’t been any pest “outbreak”. Wormwood is a very useful pest control, too. Cut branches in chook pens prevent lice and plants growing near it benefit from its unpopularity with flies and other insects.

I quote from Caralyn’s book (p93):

An important management technique is diversity of plantings. I mix everything up – herbs, vegetables, flowers and fruit. This ensures that there is not enough of any one particular variety of plant for a particular pest or disease to take hold. It also ensures that there is sufficient food for beneficial birds and insects. Naturally, I have the odd snail and caterpillar. When I find them I feed them to the chooks. Slaters are only a problem with young seedlings. Here I will use an upturned half an orange (they attract slaters) or beer traps.

By the way, Slaters are also known as woodlice,
sowbugs and pill bugs.

Class: Crustacea
Phylum: Arthropoda
Order: Isopoda

i've had success with rhubarb spray on catapillars, it performed as well as commercial pyrethium, and none of my fish died. i'm yet to really test it by dumping a fish in a contaminated solution, and i'm still reading up on any residual toxic effects. i'm also about to test it on aphids which i have a real problem with.

The main issue i see with beneficial insects is them devouring your pests then flying away when the food source is exhusted. and as soon as they leave it's another $40 - $50, which gets hellish expensive compared to a $10 bottle that lasts the same amount of time.

Thanks for that Adrian,
I have plenty on slaters in my growbeds, especially in areas where the flood water level was rising above the surface and creating damp conditions. I've noticed that they eat dead leaves and some that lie on the gravel surface, but don't get stuck into healthy plants. I've never considered them a problem, but I'll keep an eye on young seedlings. Thanks.

I live in an area which has been market gardens for many generations, and is now surrounded by homes with vegetables and fruit...many Italian families, who grow a lot of their own stuff. I think this means there is always a resident population of veggie eating bugs, and my greenhouse conditions promote these in populations that aren't being controlled by predators - yet. I expect it to get better over the years.

Timmy, I agree, but I want to knock the spider mite on the head and the thrips have been very bad this year. If there is a chance that the thrips and whitefly predators will hang around and help me in future years as well, then I'll take that chance. I know the persimilis won't, but that's okay.

Rhubarb spray sounds like a possibility too, will check it out. But a chemical that harms mammals and insects sounds pretty broad-spectrum If you do get to test a fish with it, let us know the results.
Are you using pyrethrum?

I've placed an order for spider mite predators, because they are starting to build up and I don't want to lose my chili bushes. Also stu had huge problems last year around about now, so I expect them to get worse soon.

I'll have them on Thursday or so next week, if anyone would like a few please pm me.

Thanks

Is tobacco toxic to fish?

I know it runs the bugs off.

where do you get yours from? do they ship interstate? i need some fairly desperately. my yard's full of them.

Dont know if its toxic but it would be hard to light a cigaret under water

try here, I got persimilis from them. www.beneficialbugs.com.au

haha
No really making a tobacco tea will get rid of the pest. It might also get rid of the good bug too though.

yep, beneficialbugs for me too...they ship next day.
The guy is really helpful on the phone too.

I recieved my persimilis next day, so the critters are running around eating spider mite.

I'm now getting cucermeris and hypoaspis for thrips control...this is my real problem.
Again, the minimum order is well in excess of my needs, so please pm me if you want some.

Cheers