Spring Bugs are Coming!
Steve Bridges

Spring has officially arrived. We made it through another long grueling Texas winter! Chances are the grasshoppers, fireants, and other assorted creepy-crawlies did too. So what's a gardener to do? Our insect problems seem to get worse every year. Fear not all you earth friendly gardeners out there. Mother Nature has provided and scientists have isolated the ways and means to defeat the enemy. Be it any of the aforementioned demons of the garden or others, you can find an organic remedy. But first, a disclaimer is in order.

A perfectly sterile environment is not attainable in our gardens. When we attempt to rid our gardens of all life, we create an environment that is wide open for infestation by the bad bugs. There is much activity in the garden that we are not even aware of unless we pay very close attention. For example, look now for the Lady Bug larvae that are devouring many types of bad bugs such as mites and aphids. This larvae looks, to the untrained eye, like a horribly bad bug. Not knowing what it is, you might find yourself tempted to reach for the spray bottle. If left alone, the Lady Bug larvae will solve many of your bug problems. Before reaching for that spray bottle, observe and identify. Don't harm the beneficials! While many of the organic or synthetic chemicals will kill both beneficial and bad bugs, some have been developed that are target specific.

Grasshoppers can be the most frustrating. Being migratory, they are hard to control. A naturally occurring spore, called Nosema Locustae, can be used with good results. The spore is coated onto a large flake wheat bran product that is broadcast in an area. When the grasshopper eats the bait, the spore is ingested also. It makes the grasshopper sick and lethargic and eventually kills it. Other grasshoppers then eat the dead ones, continuing the cycle. It can even carry from year to year in the egg cases the grasshoppers lay underground. Nolo Bait or Grasshopper Attack are the brand names. It is target specific to the grasshopper and will not harm people, animals, or other insects. Apply when you first see active grasshoppers ¼ inch long. One pound treats one acre and costs less than 13 dollars.

Fireants, fleas, flies, and white grubs can be controlled with a beneficial nematode. Nematodes are microscopic roundworms. They work by attacking the larval stages of other insects. One species sold under the brand name ANTidote is very effective against the aforementioned critters. These nematodes come in a bag with a carrying agent. You soak this material in water to release the nematodes. After straining out the carrying agent, you use a hose-end sprayer to disperse the nematodes. The first treatment is followed by a second treatment in one week. Coverage is 8,000sq.ft. and costs about 20 dollars. In 2-3 weeks the results will be seen.

For soft-bodied caterpillars you can use Bacillus thuringiensis. Bt comes in a liquid concentrate that you mix with water and then spray on the leaves of the affected areas. This target specific bacteria works as a stomach poison to the worm. It takes a few days to take its toll. Insects controlled by Bt are webworms, loopers, and all the worms that attach our vegetable crops. It kills the larvae stages of many butterflies, so be sure that what you have is a 'bad bug'. Remember, the best way to control bad bugs in the garden and landscape is to encourage the diversity of plant and animal life in your garden. Rediscover the curiosity you had as a kid!

Home | Find Organic Food | Gardening Organically | Farming Organically | Tofga Regions | Organic FAQs | Calendar of Events | Speakers for Events | Contact Tofga | Links to Members | Links to Other Orgs