June 20, 2000
The Battle of the Bugs-Continued            

                It’s last week as I write and we’re enduring even more cold, wet weather.  In less that two weeks, I’ve measured over six and a half inches of rain in my rain gauge.  Couple that with the cool temperatures and it’s not surprising that nothing is growing.  What a difference a year makes.  A week of rainy weather in early June would have been a blessing last year when we were watching our plants dying from drought.  This year a week without rain would be a blessing.  I remember thinking last year that, “This drought can’t go on much longer.  It HAS to rain sooner or later!”  As I learned then; Mother Nature has her own rules and we have no say in the matter.  I guess what I’m getting at is that as much as I hope and expect the current foul weather cycle to abate, it is entirely possible for the entire summer to be cool and damp.  It’s not a cheery prospect but one only has to look at last summer’s weather in the Pacific Northwest to realize that anything is possible.  All we can do is hope for the best and say a prayer for the farmers.

                  Anyway, back to the battle of the bugs.  There comes a time (like when Japanese Beetles are denuding your rose bushes) that you feel the need for an insecticide that lasts longer than a contact killer.  What you want then is an ingested insecticide.  Ingested insecticides are those that remain on the leaves after the spray has dried so insects that chew on the leaves will consume the insecticide at the same time.  Some ingestable insecticides are Sevin, Methoxychlor, B.T. (bacillus thuringiensis) and rotenone.  Ingested insecticides generally remain effective for several days or until rain washes them off the plant.  The most commonly used ingested insecticide is Sevin.  Sevin is non-selective which means that any chewing insect, whether beetle or caterpillar, that eats it is killed. 

                Finally we must consider the strongest group of insecticides: the systemics.  Systemic insecticides are those that are capable of actually entering the tissue of the plant.  Systemic insecticides are most often applied to the soil around the base of the plant so that it can be absorbed into the plant along with moisture and nutrients.  The obvious advantage systemic insecticides have is that they can’t be washed off by rain.  Systemic insecticides generally last a few weeks so a couple of applications are all you need to protect a plant for our entire growing season.  Often systemic insecticides are used when you are trying to control insects that can’t be reached with sprays.  Borers and leafminers are most effectively controlled with systemic insecticides.  The systemic nature of these insecticides make their use inappropriate on fruits, vegetables or any plant that might be eaten by man or animal.  Systemic insecticides permeate the entire plant including the fruit, vegetable or seed.  Not good for an edible crop.

                In recent years we’ve seen new biological controls appear on the market.  You are probably already familiar with Japanese Beetle traps.  There are also lures that attract aphid-eating Ladybugs into your garden.  You can buy Praying Mantis eggs to introduce these beneficial insects into your garden.  We can apply Milky Spore disease to our lawn to control Japanese Beetle grubs without the use of chemicals.  As time passes, more of these non-chemical controls will appear as demand for them increases. 

                If you decide to spray, there are a couple of things to pay attention to.  First and most important is to READ THE LABEL of the product you’re about to use. If you don’t understand something; ask.  NEVER mix the spray stronger than the label indicates.  More is not better, and you may damage the plants you’re trying to save.  Be thorough; paying special attention to spraying the undersides of the leaves.  Spray from the upwind side of the area to avoid having the spray blow back onto you.  Use a decent sprayer and keep it clean.    

 Remember that over the counter insecticides will kill the insect but can’t kill any insect eggs that may be present.  So, when you spray, you’ll eliminate the bugs that are there but the next generation of them will be hatching within a week.  What this means is that when you spray once you’re committed to another spraying a week after the first and another thorough spraying a week after the second spraying.  This way you’ll kill the second generation before they have a chance to mature enough to lay more eggs.  One spraying is usually not enough. Thanks for the read.