WalkGood 2013, 2014 and Beyond

Al-from-Chile · May 9, 2013

of course - KANSAS, not BOSTON

:shh:

Devv · May 9, 2013

Annie, good advice on the crickets gonna try that, and I never thought that they ate plants, sticky leetle basturds.

Ramon, we have those geckos too, but our are kinda transparent looking. I see them in the shop a lot, and every once in while one gets in the house. I've seen quite a few lizards in the garden, my buddies

I think that's what the rattler was hunting.

WalkGood · May 9, 2013

Al-from-Chile said:
of course - KANSAS, not BOSTON

lol

Devv said:
… Ramon, we have those geckos too, but our are kinda transparent looking. I see them in the shop a lot, and every once in while one gets in the house. I've seen quite a few lizards in the garden, my buddies I think that's what the rattler was hunting.

That’s awesome you have them too, I really like all the varieties of geckos we have and we also have the transparent looking one you mentioned. Others I've spotted are brown, caramel and dark, the darker ones I occasionally see in daylight shade but only when dem hungry, hehe must have seen some of your foodies

Great night hunters they are ...

Don’t let the rattlers get your lizards, they certainly help hunt unfriendly’s in my garden. That said, I guess the rattlers have a function, have you seen any rats lately, hehe …

Here’s a few pics showing how prolific the Chocolate Scorpion is.

None of the flowers on the Chocolate Scrop are perfect but who cares when soon come a boat load of pods \o/

I spotted a bug egg on this one, I have no idea what it is but it didn't stay there long, lolz ...

\o/ Trinidad Scorpion is sprouting flower buds \o/

In comparison my largest MoA only pumps out 1 or 2 flowers per fork

Although my smallest MoA pumps out more

Thanks for looking

thegreenman · May 9, 2013

These cool nights ane warm days make the peppers happy!

Pepper-Guru · May 9, 2013

Loving your paradise sanctuary! Geckos, iguanas, lush vegetation, grinding eggshells, looking all neat. Damn

WalkGood · May 10, 2013

thegreenman said:
These cool nights ane warm days make the peppers happy!

The humidity in the air is thick and the rain we’ve gotten hasn’t hurt either. We could use a little more but not as much as we had, lol, and I've run out of the rain I saved. BTW the flower on the Chocolate Hab turned into a little pod. I’d take a shot but the wife is borrowing the cam today. Have you been east lately? I shot out west to pick up the pots the other day but was in a rush to up-pot and didn’t think to call :/

Pepper-Guru said:
Loving your paradise sanctuary! Geckos, iguanas, lush vegetation, grinding eggshells, looking all neat. Damn

Thanks Rich we love da tropical belt too … don’t you have a great grow season in GA too. I can ship you some of the iguanas if you wish, they tear up our seawalls, make huge holes in the ground, eat up all the flowers and have no natural enemies down here. The population was so large they’ve actually become pests, if it wasn’t for some dying due to cold winter weather they'd run us out of here, hehehe

Thanks for reading and comments guys have a great weekend

Devv · May 10, 2013

I see happy flowering plants, may mega poddage be bestowed upon you.

Pic takin' haint bad neither

I have a hell of a time taking pics in the garden, them plants need to grow so I don't have to go so low...LOL Corn's easy to shoot...

Don't much like the title change, hurricanes are no fun.

Keep that great grow a goin'!

Have a great weekend

WalkGood · May 10, 2013

Devv said:
I see happy flowering plants, may mega poddage be bestowed upon you.

Pic takin' haint bad neither

I have a hell of a time taking pics in the garden, them plants need to grow so I don't have to go so low...LOL Corn's easy to shoot...

Don't much like the title change, hurricanes are no fun.

Keep that great grow a goin'!

Have a great weekend

Thanks Scott, I hear ya on low pic taking it can certainly be a pita after it’s in the ground. Hurricanes are a part of life down here, I’ve been thru a lot of storms and never lost a house yet. I think people imagine the images they saw after Andrew, most storms are not like that. As long as you have a block home, take precautions you’ll be fine, it’s just an inconvenience … BTW to date I’ve yet to ever lose a pepper in a hurricane and I don’t bring them in. I just stash them in strategic areas in the yard and lay them down. Back at ya on having a great weekend ^_^

Remember the damaged leaf I previously posted below? I had asked if anyone had seen that type of damage on a leaf or leaves. Subsequently I found a cricket on one of the plants, killed it and assumed that the cricket was the guilty one. WRONG!!!

Turns out some of the damage was done by a Sphinx Moth although I'm not sure how as they prefer nectar from flowers. This activity I have come to deduce is presumably right before she lays eggs as I found and killed 2 hornworms (picture) today before they could climb onto my peppers. One went for the White Bhut and the other went for one of the Jamaican MoA’s. I'm hoping I don't find more or catch them before they do their damage. I'll have to keep my eyes pealed as the two I caught were inches from getting on the stalk.

I had issues with hornworms a few years back and captured a picture of mama Sphinx below. But at that time I had not received the sever leaf damage on one to three leaves on several potted peppers. So if you see similar leaf damage as depicted below, keep your eyes peeled for hornworms. Sorry I impulse killed the two worms without even thinking of taking a picture but trust me they were hornworms.

Sphinx Moth below.

Some call this bad azz looking moth the “hummingbird moth” because it can hover like one, anyone every see a doctor bird? Well the doctor bird does it with more grace, regardless I’m posting this info in hopes that it might help others who either see the leaf damage or the moth in flight.

I’m not sure what times you check your peppers but most varieties of Sphinx moths are nocturnal. Other than night they can be spotted early morning (when I capture the picture above) or dusk. Also, while it’s rare they can occasionally be spotted visiting flowers during the day. So if you see one keep your eyes pealed cause sooner or later you’ll see hornworms :/

The wingspan on the one I found was close to five inches, so these things are not like their smaller cousins. Also they have thick antennae or this lady was wearing war paint after a Friday night plant whoring season, hehehe.

I’ve been trying to identify how many eggs they lay

Sphinx moths are medium to large in size, with thick bodies and wingspans of 5 inches or more. Their abdomens typically end in a point. In sphinx moths, the hindwings are markedly smaller than the forewings. Antennae are thickened.
Sphinx moth larvae are called hornworms, for a harmless but pronounced "horn" on the dorsal side of their hind ends. Some hornworms do significant damage to agricultural crops, and are therefore considered pests.

Here’s some info I read on the net:

Diet:

Click to expand...

Most adults nectar on flowers, extending a long proboscis to do so. Caterpillars feed on a range of host plants, including both woody and herbaceous plants. Sphingid larvae usually have specific host plants, rather than being generalist feeders.
Life Cycle:
Female moths lay eggs, usually singly, on host plants. Larvae may hatch within a few days or several weeks, depending on species and environmental variables. When the caterpillar reaches its final instar, it pupates. Most Sphingid larvae pupate in the soil, though some spin cocoons in leaf litter. In places where winter occurs, Sphingid moths overwinter in the pupal stage.
Special Adaptations and Defenses:
Some sphinx moths nectar on pale, deep flowers, employing an unusually long proboscis. The proboscis of certain Sphingidae species can measure a full 12 inches long.
Sphinx moths are also famous for their ability to hover at flowers, much like hummingbirds. In fact, some Sphingids resemble bees or hummingbirds, and can move sideways and stop in midair.
Range and Distribution:
Worldwide, over 1200 species of sphinx moths have been described. About 125 species of Sphingidae live in North America. Sphinx moths live on all continents except Antarctica.

DesertChris · May 10, 2013

I truly dislike sphinx moths!!

OK, first step, get a uv/black light (a portable battery operated one), Buy, Beg, Borrow one etc....

Take it out to the plants after datk...the darker the better....

The Hornworms glow under the uv light like freaky green monsters....makes finding and killing them super easy!!
Even the tiny baby ones and the eggs glow under the uv light

I found and killed a couple thousand hornworms that way, last year, in my tomato plants.....

DesertChris · May 10, 2013

Ok, just killed a sphinx moth on the back porch!!
Man I dislike those things!!

WalkGood · May 11, 2013

DesertChris said:
I truly dislike sphinx moths!!

OK, first step, get a uv/black light (a portable battery operated one), Buy, Beg, Borrow one etc....

Take it out to the plants after datk...the darker the better....

The Hornworms glow under the uv light like freaky green monsters....makes finding and killing them super easy!!
Even the tiny baby ones and the eggs glow under the uv light

I found and killed a couple thousand hornworms that way, last year, in my tomato plants.....

Excellent tip, think I read that in your glog or somewhere … Dam I sold off my black light, giant disco ball and oversized light-up-flashing-ring a few years back to buy a new surfboard

DesertChris said:
Ok, just killed a sphinx moth on the back porch!!
Man I dislike those things!!

You and me both, have you figured out how many eggs they can lay? I’ve read one at a shot but that doesn’t mean anything. Last time I dealt with the moth & soon to follow worms there were 3 that I fortunately caught in time.

Devv · May 11, 2013

I've seen those moths before but never knew until this year they were the hornworm. I killed three or four this year already. They can do quite a bit of damage in a day!

I'm going to SA today and going to look for a black light, don't know where to start but I'll try.

Good info here!

annie57 · May 11, 2013

Devv said:
I've seen those moths before but never knew until this year they were the hornworm. I killed three or four this year already. They can do quite a bit of damage in a day!

I'm going to SA today and going to look for a black light, don't know where to start but I'll try.

Good info here!

Try a fishing store, Scott. Blacklights, battery operated, used for night fishing with fluorescent line. I have two and yeah, buddy; might be no fun crawling on ground at night slapping black lights on plants but that's when ya can see the hornworms at work and, end their eating forever. " . . . live (plants) and let die (hworms)."

Devv · May 11, 2013

annie57 said:
Try a fishing store, Scott. Blacklights, battery operated, used for night fishing with fluorescent line. I have two and yeah, buddy; might be no fun crawling on ground at night slapping black lights on plants but that's when ya can see the hornworms at work and, end their eating forever. " . . . live (plants) and let die (hworms)."

Glad I jumped back on before I left! Thanks for the advice. Likes are broken until later I guess

DesertChris · May 11, 2013

WalkGood said:
Excellent tip, think I read that in your glog or somewhere … Dam I sold off my black light, giant disco ball and oversized light-up-flashing-ring a few years back to buy a new surfboard

You and me both, have you figured out how many eggs they can lay? I’ve read one at a shot but that doesn’t mean anything. Last time I dealt with the moth & soon to follow worms there were 3 that I fortunately caught in time.

I don't know how many eggs per year, but supposedly they can lay eggs all season long, the worms go underground to pupate for the winter, and come back up to repeat the cycle.... I noticed they seem to spread there eggs around, a couple here, a couple there. So it llooks like they don't put all their eggs in one "basket" (or leaf)
Keep your eyes peeled for larger sized translucent green eggs.

Also, I noticed they like the tops of the plants way better than down low. I find 95% of them in the upper third of the foliage.

Stupid hornworms.....

WalkGood · May 11, 2013

Devv said:
I've seen those moths before but never knew until this year they were the hornworm. I killed three or four this year already. They can do quite a bit of damage in a day!

I'm going to SA today and going to look for a black light, don't know where to start but I'll try.

Good info here!

I agree, good to share these findings and knowledge. Hopefully we’ll all suffer minimal damage. I’m not sure about there but IIRC this is the same time of year they hit last time.

annie57 said:
Try a fishing store, Scott. Blacklights, battery operated, used for night fishing with fluorescent line. I have two and yeah, buddy; might be no fun crawling on ground at night slapping black lights on plants but that's when ya can see the hornworms at work and, end their eating forever. " . . . live (plants) and let die (hworms)."

Good point Annie ^_^

Devv said:
Glad I jumped back on before I left! Thanks for the advice. Likes are broken until later I guess

I got you covered, I liked all dem posts, hehe.

DesertChris said:
I don't know how many eggs per year, but supposedly they can lay eggs all season long, the worms go underground to pupate for the winter, and come back up to repeat the cycle.... I noticed they seem to spread there eggs around, a couple here, a couple there. So it llooks like they don't put all their eggs in one "basket" (or leaf)
Keep your eyes peeled for larger sized translucent green eggs.

Also, I noticed they like the tops of the plants way better than down low. I find 95% of them in the upper third of the foliage.

Stupid hornworms.....

I asked because the info I read online said “singularly,” but the last time I beat these devils it was 3 worms on one plant all hitting at the same time. The one’s here crawl out of the dirt, so I assume the moth sticks her tail into the dirt to lay them but I don't know for sure. Almost killed the mama Sphinx Moth this morning but the bitch got away =_=

DesertChris · May 12, 2013

They pupate in the dirt.... we were planting the maters out in ground today, and one of the kids dug one up right in the tomato area from last year!!... the pupa are freaky looking!!
One of the other kids went crazy and chopped it up with a spade...hahaha
One less Sphinx Moth to lay eggs

If you have an old tennis raquet, those are great for knocking them out of the sky!

Then stomp on em till they become fertilizer

stc3248 · May 12, 2013

Haha...looks like were in a life or death situation at Ramon's place! Death it is! Those hornworms are voracious and can strip a plant down to parade rest overnight once they get big...the leaves are one thing, but those damn things eat pods!

annie57 · May 12, 2013

stc3248 said:
but those damn things eat pods!

True. And resist pure Sevin liquid. Had bad infestation one year, dropping them by blacklight, pluck, drop in pure Sevin in 3 gal bucket. Didn't kill them: they sorta SWAM. Fished them out and squished by hand. Geez.

915river · May 12, 2013

Nice plants & flowers :halo: