The girls are nice into flower . But I’m having problems with white beetles and they eating the leaves up. I’ve been using neem oil since the beginning but since flower the little fuckers seem to not be phased by the neem. What can I do and not harm the flowers ?
4 Likes
Find out what eats the beetle. Maybe a praying mantis?
3 Likes
wow ok. so a few mantis huh, lol thats crazy. I’ll give it a go
2 Likes
For bigger bugs like caterpillars, beetles, slugs, and snails you can’t beat a good pair of fingers. Odor sprays should work like clilantro, onion, or garlic. I don’t use them but have heard good results. Some beetles eat beneficial insects and some don’t, some eat plants, some eat predatory insects, so looking up what they eat is fun and i think important to learn your grow environment.
https://www.reference.com/pets-animals/beetles-eat-24b493302615b819
4 Likes
Really interesting… The ectoparasitical kind sounds awfully gross! LOL
2 Likes
I have had good success boiling the hottest peppers I can find, straining out the seeds and skin and then allowing the liquid to cool. Riff off of the original pepper spray.
This works as a pretty good general deterrent. From dogs to caterpillars and earwigs- it stopped the feast in my garden immediately. I don’t think it lasts very long though, especially if you live in a rainy climate.
Oh, and no, no adverse effect to the flowers, even with multiple applications.
Good luck ditching the Beetles!
Stay Hazed
Jake
9 Likes
I’m gonna get a batch going… What would happen if one was to ferment those hot peppers… Would it work and last longer…? It might even be better to boil the water then turn off stove and let the peppers rest in the very hot water, not boiling; so it remains more pure i think, no!?
Maybe @lotus710 can help us!?
intersting indeed. I may have to try that.
@4HundredFifty3, @ryasco is correct… unless you have a really severe infestation of beetles, you should be able to keep the bastards under control with a search and destroy regimen.
Go out and inspect (search) your plants as early as you can in the morning.
Insects are relatively dormant at sunrise.
Look for the nasty, verminous beetles on top and especially underneath of your plant’s leaves. Kill the creepy interlopers by crushing them with your fingers!
Show no mercy!
If you can do this every morning for a week or so, you should be able to eliminate the threat they pose to an upcoming bountiful harvest.
I know that it is tedious work… but it should be worth the effort expended.
It looks to me like your plants should be ready for harvesting by about the middle of October or thereabouts.
Good luck!
2 Likes
If you ferment the peppers you will get an amazing pest management input. And a nice topping for a sweet and spicy meal! Itll last longer then the water. But i wouldnt spray it on buds. Jakes idea works for flower because water is rain and plants get rained on. BUT make sure you have a good environment.
3 Likes
What about good ol paradichlororbenze moth balls on the ground nearby or taped to the planter? I have shook a lot of pests using them
1 Like
You can even put them in the toes of "old panty hose and hang it on a branch near the stalk keeping it off the buds
1 Like
There is a lot of warning associated with this stuff. It is listed as a carcinogen as well. I wouldn’t want to work in it myself.
http://npic.orst.edu/ingred/pdb.html
Edit: I have never used it and don’t know anyone who has so it could be fine. I just wanted people to have some info.
4 Likes
Yeah that’s fair but somehow I just don’t see someone ingesting, been keeping insects out of closets for years and years also recommended for snakes
1 Like
it’s somewhat pricey, but these guys are the best when it’s time to bring in a hit squad on your flowering plants, they have everything:
http://www.arbico-organics.com/category/beneficial-insects-organisms
their predatory mites had every last spider mite running in terror from my grow a few years ago.
6 Likes
Suggestion:
BT, or Bacillus Thuringiensis ( find a product with multiple strains) and Spinosad in a tank mix.
If you have beetles, thats Coleptera insect order, BT and Spinosaid, has effects on the Coleptera order by targeting nervous system (Spinosaid) and digestive tract (BT)
Both are derived from bacteria, and can be tank mixed to have dual action against bugs, This may kill off your beneficial insects, because ladybugs are Coleptera order.
Somtething to consider is mixing multiple products together so they act in a synergistic way I dont see any issue mixing neem+BT+Spino, in one tank, this is very common in agri so spray applications are reduced or are one shot. You could even add the pepper extracts too as suggested in the thread. Experiment and see if tank mix or separate application is effective.
Neem is mainly used as an emulsion, so its more of a suffocant or block spiracles in the insect to kill, thats the main mode of action, soap is an emulsion, neem is the same thing (oil+water).
BT and Spino, are very safe to use but I would not use close to harvest times.
5 Likes
Great advice from all you guys man. Some ideas I will be trying out . Imma get back to you guys
1 Like
Asalvajado, el neem también paraliza el sistema digestivo de los artrópodos, dejando estos de alimentarse.
…Y no recuerdo si afectaba algo también a su aparato reproductor…
Gone wild, neem also paralyzes the digestive system of arthropods, leaving them to fee.
… And I do not remember if it also affected your reproductive system …