ACORN NEWSLETTER

May 2002

 

Table of Contents

 

ACORN News……...........1

 

Links………….……...... ...1

 

Featured Natural

Enemy: Hover Flies..........2

 

Featured Alternative

Control: Bulls-Eye Bioinsecticide…………....3

 

ACORN News

 

ØOn April 2, 2002, we conducted our first 3-hour workshop in Allen County. We had an enthusiastic group of gardeners attending. From the evaluations, the workshop was a success. The attendants seem to enjoy the short version of our workshop.

 

ØWe conducted two workshops in the month of April. Many thanks to Ricky Kemery, Natalie Fowler, Kathy Kent and Mike Hornbach for helping us organize workshops in Allen and Dearborn County, Indiana. Thanks to all Master Gardeners who attended the workshop and volunteered to participate in our experiments this spring.

 

ØI know a lot of you don't want to plant more cabbage or zucchini in your garden, however those crops have many pests and therefore are ideal for testing alternative control methods. We use the data collected from your gardens to determine whether or not an alternative control can work. It is only after examining your data that we can accept or recommend a particular control method.

 

Ø We still need volunteers for the following experiments:
Releasing Lacewings on Cabbage to control caterpillars
Using Floating Row Covers on zucchini squash,
Using Surround Crop Protectant Experiment on zucchini squash.

Please click one of the above experiments for details and how you can participate.

Please email me at farah_heraux@entm.purdue.edu or call 765-494-1422 if you are interested.

 

Ø Please send me an email to let me know the dates you have planted for our records and I can start planning the garden visits. Garden visits will be done during the month of June.

 

 

Some Useful Links

 

New website at Purdue University! Vegetable Insects and their Management
http://www.entm.purdue.edu/entomology/vegisite/


 

Featured Natural Enemy: Hover Flies

 

Introduction: Hover flies are also called syrphid flies or flower flies.

 

What to look for?
The adults fly over flowers consuming pollen and mimicking the buzzing sound of bees. Adult hover flies are approximately 1/4 to more than 3/4 inch long, the length of a dry red bean. Adults resemble bees and wasps with black and yellow stripes on the body, but they have only one pair of wings (wasps and bees have two pairs). To see a picture of a hover fly adult, click on the following link <<http://entm29.entm.purdue.edu/acorn/ne.aspx?ne=Hover_or_syrphid_or_flower_fly>>.

 

The larvae are legless maggots that range in color from creamy-white to green or brown. They look somewhat slug-like and are tapered towards the head. Eggs are small, oval and appear lace covered. To see a picture of a hover fly larva and of an egg, click on the following links <<http://virtual.clemson.edu/groups/hort/homehort/BISyrLrv.htm>>, <<http://strawberry.ifas.ufl.edu/beneficial9full.htm>> .

 

Who they kill:

The adults are not predaceous.  They feed on pollent and nectar.  The hover fly larva is a voracious predator.  Each larva can consume up to 400 aphids during their 2 to 3-week lifecycle.


 

How to attract them to your garden?
You can attract the hover fly adults to your garden by planting a number of different flowering plants. See the Alternative Control Guide on the ACORN website for an extensive list of flowering plants that attract e hover fly adults. Adults will lay their eggs in your garden area on plants infested with aphids.

 

Release rate and cost:

Hover flies are not commercially available.

 

 

Source: Midwest Biological Control News <<http://www.entomology.wisc.edu/mbcn/mbcn.html>> vol.2, No 11. Susan Marh, University of Wisconsin at Madison.

Featured Alternative Control: Bulls-Eye Bioinsecticide

 

What is Bulls-Eye Bioinsecticide, Conserve or Fertilome Caterpillar or Bagworm Killer?
These are trade names for a biologically based type insecticide. This product is derived from the fungus Saccharopolyspora spinosad. The product has been classified as a reduced risk pesticide by the EPA.
 

 

Why use it?
This bioinsecticide is compatible with biological control and very effective against its target pests --the compound causes paralysis of the pest in about one hour. The pest may be present on your plant but it will be unable to eat--.

 

What pests does it kill?
Many caterpillars, sawflies, leaf beetles (not JB), tip moths, thrips, gall midges, fly leaf miners (not BLM), cat fleas.

 

Can I use it in the home garden?
This product is labeled to be used in home gardens, interiorscapes, turf, greenhouse, nursery, Christmas tree production.
The homeowner formulation is called Bulls-Eyes Bioinsecticide, or Fertilome Borer, Bagworm and, Caterpillar and Sawfly killer.

 

Is it compatible with beneficial insects?

Yes, this bioinsecticide was found to be practically non-toxic to beneficials. It does not kill predatory mites, minute pirate bugs, lacewings, or ladybeetles. However, it may kill flying parasitic wasps and bees. The product has a short residual activity because it is degraded by sunlight.

 

How are We Doing?

ACORN wants to hear form YOU!  Send us an email if you read the newsletter. Tell us what you like and don't like.

 

ACORN is listening! 

If you have any inputs for us or any comments please visit the bulletin board on the website at <http://entm29.entm.purdue.edu/acorn/bb_main.asp>.