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pests Aphid solution!!

I only use this stuff INDOORS and when nothing else works and it is safe in the veg state. http://www.nufarm.com/USTO/Malletr2FTO

Mallet 2F T&O Insecticide is a liquid concentrate containing imidacloprid for the control of insect pests in nearly all residential and commercial settings. Mallet 2F T&O is a neonicotinoid insecticide with long-lasting, residual control with proven performance on key pests such as aphids,white grubs, weevils and cutworms in turf plus aphids, mealybugs, leafminers , thrips and any soft body piercing insect in ornamentals.

And according to the manufacture/FDA it is approved and safe for veggies http://www.cdms.net/LDat/ld9I1002.pdf
 
It's been a month since I released the lady bugs on my plants so I thought I'd give an update.
 
I initially released about 20 lady bugs on my 15 overwinters and about a week later maybe a dozen or so more.  The lady bugs did OK at eating the aphids, but they were not keeping up - there were still large breakouts here and there.
 
About 2 weeks in I had lady bug nymphs.  This was the real turning point.  Within a week of seeing the nymphs, the aphids were gone.  Completely.
 
At this point, I've got a few nymphs pupating.  Cool to see the lady bugs going through a full life cycle.
 
My overwinters are loving life too.  They've started kicking out new growth (and buds) everywhere.
 
I easily spent $20 on ineffective organic pesticides, but the $20 I spent on the lady bugs was the ticket.  I'll probably screen in my grow shelves next winter and do the lady bugs out of the gate.
 
Awesome thread! I've really learned a lot. No problems here, yet. But when I overwinter and the monsters appear, lady bugs will be what I reach for.
 
All but a few lady bugs were gone within the 1st 4 days after release. At release there were a few who thought mating was more important then eating and the fruits of their labors were identified a few weeks after the last of them had succumbed. Eggs turned into larva and larva into pupa and I now, have 2 new ladybugs and 5 more that I have been able to locate on the way. I am hoping that since these ladybugs hatched into the food supply they will be less likely to attempt to fly off. So far,  all is good. but I am going to need them to complete a few more life cycles if I will make any kind of impact on these aphids. As larva, they proved impressive carnivorous.
 
Recontacted Hirts on Thursday. Someone must have dropped the ball last month. I was assured it would get taken care of and today, a replacement shipment came in. 
 
I just completed a full release of 1500 ladybugs. Many are walking off the end of the growing table but the majority are climbing into the planting cups or getting a bite to eat at the release site.
 
This will be my last attempt to neutralize the aphids with natural methods. I have a complete restart on standby and permethrin to treat the more mature plants. I plan to give the entire area a complete going over prior to any drastic treatment measures as a large clutch of ladybug eggs would definitely be a welcome addition. I'll take 500 ladybug larva to 1500 ladybugs anytime. ANYTIME!
 
After this, its chemical warfare.
 
rebelgrower3 said:
I just bought 1500 ladybugs of amazon for around $12 and that was with shipping. They arrived within 3 days and 98% were alive and doing well. Hirts was the seller and have good customer service.
Click to expand...
 
hmph - way more expensive here in the UK, at $27ish for 25 ladybugs, now you understand why I bribe any wild ones with cheerios! 
 
moosery said:
 
hmph - way more expensive here in the UK, at $27ish for 25 ladybugs, now you understand why I bribe any wild ones with cheerios! 
Click to expand...
 
You should start a ladybug farm at those prices, you'd make a fortune selling them for half that.
 
Spork said:
 
You should start a ladybug farm at those prices, you'd make a fortune selling them for half that.
Click to expand...
 
 
tempting, although I suspect I wouldn't make a fortune as all mine died lol
 
Well, it appears that ladybugs last indoors for about a week. At least in my grow room and conditions. Although I do have a few stragglers left along with some larva that are running around and devastating groups of aphids. I can already see that the remaining aphid population left unchecked will soon explode again. I am still looking at another 30+ days till last frost before plants can go out side. It looks like 1 more application of ladybugs is in order.
 
HP22BH said:
Well, it appears that ladybugs last indoors for about a week. At least in my grow room and conditions. Although I do have a few stragglers left along with some larva that are running around and devastating groups of aphids. I can already see that the remaining aphid population left unchecked will soon explode again. I am still looking at another 30+ days till last frost before plants can go out side. It looks like 1 more application of ladybugs is in order.
Click to expand...
How long did your eggs take to hatch? I released the second batch out.n 3/26 and had eggs the next morning! Last time they didn't lay eggs for me.
 
I have been using a home concoction to take care of the Aphids attacking my plants.

In a small food processor I add
5 or 6 Bhut Jolokia Chilli pods
2 cloves of garlic
1 teaspoon of Scorpion tail chilli sauce.
 
Blend until it is as fine as you can get it. add 1/4 a cup of water and blend again.
Add another 1/4 cup and repeat.
 
Once fully blended strain to remove the pulp into a pouring jug

Then add the pulp back to the processor and add another 1/2 half cup and blend. Again straining into the pouring jug.

You want to remove as much pulp as you can because it will block up your spray pack.

Now you have 1 cup of concentrate chilli spray. Pour this into a pump pack spray bottle and add around 1-2 teaspoons of dish washing liquid along with 1-2 litres of water.


Now spray your plants and watch the bastards die. You may have to reapply but I have found this to work on my plants. When I make my next batch I will also be adding tobacco to the mix for extra potency.
 
Still have a few ladybugs! still laying eggs!
I have lady bugs, larva and eggs, lots of eggs I can see and probably more I don't. will hold off contacting Hirts for a third batch of ladybugs till I see how this unfolds.i should have 2 or 3 dozen larva running around in about a week.
pics in next update
 
highlucks said:
I have been using a home concoction to take care of the Aphids attacking my plants.

In a small food processor I add
5 or 6 Bhut Jolokia Chilli pods
2 cloves of garlic
1 teaspoon of Scorpion tail chilli sauce.
 
Blend until it is as fine as you can get it. add 1/4 a cup of water and blend again.
Add another 1/4 cup and repeat.
 
Once fully blended strain to remove the pulp into a pouring jug

Then add the pulp back to the processor and add another 1/2 half cup and blend. Again straining into the pouring jug.

You want to remove as much pulp as you can because it will block up your spray pack.

Now you have 1 cup of concentrate chilli spray. Pour this into a pump pack spray bottle and add around 1-2 teaspoons of dish washing liquid along with 1-2 litres of water.


Now spray your plants and watch the bastards die. You may have to reapply but I have found this to work on my plants. When I make my next batch I will also be adding tobacco to the mix for extra potency.
Click to expand...
 
Tobacco is a good insect killer but it should not be used on your pepper plants! It can spread tobacco mosaic virus.
 
Oh wow thanks for the heads up. Even when the tobacco is dried. From a cigarette or a pouch

Edit, yep even in cigarettes
 
Looks like lacewings are now available.
Aphids are relentless and by no means totally eliminated. Its either more ladybugs or lacewings.
 
The problems I encountered with ladybugs is, they last at best a week (99% of them anyway), even when released as instructed, most end up walking of the grow table and on to the floor, on release they do not seen immediately interested in eating or seeking food. they do work and their residual effect is present for another couple of weeks. They would be much more effective if your grow area is completely and compactly enclosed as to keep them on the grow area only, and reduce their tendency of flight. If this were to be done I beleive that a large infestation could be eliminated with one 1500 ladybug treatment.
 
I am looking into lacewings and would like to know if anyone has had prior experience with them as a aphid remedy. The first apparent flag that goes up is that lacewings also have wings and could as a result take flight unless their desire to feed is more urgent.
 
No experience with the lacewings but I was told the larva is the only thing that eats aphids... Not sure when your plant out is but I'm just sticking w the ladybugs till i can get them outside. I just released my 3rd batch of 1500 ladybugs and ordered another. You're right! Aphids are relentless and I feel your pain.... This sucks. Lol
 
highlucks said:
I have been using a home concoction to take care of the Aphids attacking my plants.

In a small food processor I add
5 or 6 Bhut Jolokia Chilli pods
2 cloves of garlic
1 teaspoon of Scorpion tail chilli sauce.
 
Blend until it is as fine as you can get it. add 1/4 a cup of water and blend again.
Add another 1/4 cup and repeat.
 
Once fully blended strain to remove the pulp into a pouring jug

Then add the pulp back to the processor and add another 1/2 half cup and blend. Again straining into the pouring jug.

You want to remove as much pulp as you can because it will block up your spray pack.

Now you have 1 cup of concentrate chilli spray. Pour this into a pump pack spray bottle and add around 1-2 teaspoons of dish washing liquid along with 1-2 litres of water.


Now spray your plants and watch the bastards die. You may have to reapply but I have found this to work on my plants. When I make my next batch I will also be adding tobacco to the mix for extra potency.
Click to expand...
 
 
 
Lol,
 
I did that once... I will never do it again. Its pretty much teargas. And don't get the spray on anything that someone may touch lol.
 
It may work for aphids but it wears off quick.in my experience.
 
 
And as for Pyretherin, that stuff burnt little brown spots on my leaves and can kill small new growth.
 
smileyguy697 said:
No experience with the lacewings but I was told the larva is the only thing that eats aphids... Not sure when your plant out is but I'm just sticking w the ladybugs till i can get them outside. I just released my 3rd batch of 1500 ladybugs and ordered another. You're right! Aphids are relentless and I feel your pain.... This sucks. Lol
Click to expand...
Yes, you are correct. And I was less than accurate when I said lacewings are available. Lacewing eggs, larva fully fed adult lacewings are available.
 
http://www.arbico-organics.com
 
After researching lacewings a bit I am almost convinced this is the route to go when dealing with aphids. first off you get minimum 1000 lacewing eggs. They hatch out and you now have 1000 hungry larva that cannot fly away as a high % of ladybugs do. Plus the lacewing larva take about 2-3 weeks before they start to pupate. ladybug larva are good for about a week or so.
 
Will see soon, very soon.
 
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