predator bugs

[Ferre]

You all know by now I hate the use of chemicals in a grow. We smoke the stuff so don't pollute it!

 

there's many natural alternatives to get rid of bugs and I'm going to post some of them here becouse I'm convinced that if you have some more information, you can use them in Australia too. I also think you can order predator bugs online.

 

Here's an example, to get rid of spider mites, there's a bug called "Phytoseiulus persimilis".

it's a small predator bug that simply eats the spiders, NOT YOUR PLANTS, and when there's no spiders left to eat they just die out and dissapear.

for more information on "Phytoseiulus persimilis".

 

the little predator looks like this :

 

http://www.nzhops.co.nz/images/pestfree2.jpg

 

there's a list companies that supply them HERE, there's also more info on predator bugs there to find.

 

like did you know that you can get rid of white fly with Parasite wasps??...EASY!

 

White fly :

 

http://weslaco.ars.usda.gov/BIRU/rjwhiteflyweb.jpg

 

parasite wasp:

 

http://www.agric.gov.ab.ca/images/600/622-21j.jpg

 

CHEERZZ

[Ferre]

Thanx for the great post Tboat,

What is your suggestions for fungas gnats(those little black fly , that have lavae in the root system)?

These ones have always bugged me in coco systems and alike..

 

 

Reagrds

 

kash

 

Fungus gnats:

 

http://www.bioworksbiocontrol.com/assets/photo_fungus_gnat.gif

 

For Fungas gnats I use "nematodes" you can drain your soil, or growmedium, like coco slaps with them. these tiny worms do not look dangerous but for the fungus gnats they are.

 

they look like this:

 

http://www.bio.ic.ac.uk/research/amleroi/nematodes.jpg

 

"Vine Weevil", also a bug that has larves that eat the roots of our plants, can also be killed by Hematodes...

 

the Vine Weevil looks like this:

 

http://www.dgsgardening.btinternet.co.uk/vinewev.JPG

 

then there's also the "Sciarid Fly", (Bradysia Paupera):

 

http://www.intertechserv.com/pVarenrouwmug.jpg

 

again hematodes are an efficient solution.

[Tom]

I am unable to find a supplier of predator bugs in Australia, I am not prepared to use any predators that are not cleared for use in my area. Does anyone know of an Australian retailer or better still the names of native insects that can be used and what they are used for? It would be helpful to have a database of such information.

 

http://www.gamers-forums.com/smilies/contrib/ruinkai/coolgleamA.gif http://64.207.13.28/mysmilies/otn/glasses/smokin.gif

[trumpet]

http://www.bugsforbugs.com.au/

[Tom]

Thanks for that trumpet, hopefully there's a few more as well.

 

http://www.gamers-forums.com/smilies/contrib/ruinkai/coolgleamA.gif http://64.207.13.28/mysmilies/otn/glasses/smokin.gif

[u can call me herb]

bugs for bugs is good, found lacewing to be of use, however u have to have flowering plants around for them to feed on or they dissapear overnight - found this out too late!

[nelly]

bugs for bugs is good, found lacewing to be of use, however u have to have flowering plants around for them to feed on or they dissapear overnight - found this out too late!

I have been using Bio Bugs for my grow. Wow they are amazing. They killed those little critters in a week. I wouldnt have had any roots left. Now i keep using it. I wouldn't grow without, Those babys give me the cleanest root system. Like u say No Chemicals.

[Spurious]

I have used these before, with great results.

 

 

 

 

Predatory Mites (Phytoseiulus persimilis)

 

http://www.beneficialbugs.com.au/predct.GIF

 

 

 

Predatory mite, two-spotted mite and eggs

 

http://www.beneficialbugs.com.au/wpred.jpg

 

 

 

Pest Mites (Tetranychus urticae) . . . Twospotted mite or Spider mite

 

http://www.beneficialbugs.com.au/tspotct.GIF

 

 

 

I got them from Beneficial Bug Co.

[skankmaster]

Hey tboat, thanks for the info. about the bio-bugs. I hate using chemicals of any nature as well and grow organically. One thing i would like to know: in a healthy system would there be predator mites present? I have grown my last two crops with garlic and have not had any mites- not one. Then last week i saw one of those small red mites cruising around my plant, which are the predators. I did not clean my growspace out on purpose between grows as i thought if there were any good bugs around i didn't want to harm them. I just changed soil, planted a new baby and carried on.

thanks