Benallure- Natural Enemies Attractant

Overview:

Each gardener will select two plantings of winged euonymus (burning bush). In one planting you will place a Benallure packet. The other will not have Benallure. Plantings must be at least 15' apart.

Place the Benallure in the garden when you see the first aphid colony.

Do not apply any pesticide on the plantings you have selected for your experiment.

Counts should be done on the same day for both plantings.

Sticky cards should be placed and collected on the same day for both plantings.

Continue to record the observations even though you think the experiment may have failed.

 

 

Time line

Week of May 15 -Start weekly inspection of winged euonymus (burning bush).

Week 1 -First sign of aphid colony is detected. -Inspect 10 shoots and record the number that have the aphids, hover flies, ladybeetles, lacewings and aphid mummies. -Place a yellow sticky card in the planting. -Two days later: collect the sticky card and record the number that have the aphids, hover flies, ladybeetles, lacewings and aphid mummies.

Week 2 -Count the number of shoots of ten that have the insects indicated. -Place a yellow sticky card in the planting. -Two days later: collect the sticky cards and record the number that have the aphids, hover flies, ladybeetles, lacewings and aphid mummies. -Mail us the 2 sticky cards.

Week 3 -Count the number of shoots of ten that have the insects indicated. -Place a yellow sticky card in the planting. -Two days later: collect the sticky card and record the number that have the aphids, hover flies, ladybeetles, lacewings and aphid mummies.

Week 4 -Count the number of shoots of ten that have the insects indicated. -Place a yellow sticky card in the planting. -Two days later: collect the sticky card, and record the number that have the aphids, hover flies, ladybeetles, lacewings and aphid mummies.

Placing the Benallure in the plantings

Check your winged euonymus (burning bush) plantings once a week starting May 15th for the first aphid colony.

The aphids will be located on the underside of the leaves most likely on this year's growth.

The aphids are yellow-green. Aphids on winged euonymus are black.

After aphids are detected, randomly assign one planting to receive the Benallure.

Hang the Benallure in the middle of the planting at the same height of the new growths.

 

 

Information to be Collected

 

Each week (7-day interval) randomly pick 10 shoots from each planting and count the number of shoots with aphids, lady beetles, lacewings, flower flies and aphid mummies in both plantings. Put a twist tie on each shoot you examine so that you do not inspect the same shoot twice in the same day. Remove the ties after you finish your inspection.

Each week (7-day interval) hang a yellow sticky card on a stick at approximately the same height of the new growths in each planting. Staple it or secure it so the card will not fall to the ground. Leave traps out for 2 days (48 hrs).

Collect the sticky cards and place each in a clear sandwich bag. You will need to see and identify the natural enemies present on each side of the yellow sticky card.

After taking and recording the counts, send us by US Mail the sticky cards collected at week 2 at the following address:

 

Farah Heraux
1158 Smith Hall
West Lafayette, IN 47907

Count the number of lady beetles, lacewings, and flower flies on the sticky cards.

Repeat the count every week for 4 weeks.

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