I've got 'em. How do I get rid of them without hurting any
plants? I've read about introducing other predator mites
but it said that could take 5 years or so to "get them in
balance". I don't want balance, I want those little suckers
gone. They're all over the house siding, sidewalks, etc.

--
Steve

In article ,
Steve Calvin wrote:

I've got 'em. How do I get rid of them without hurting any
plants? I've read about introducing other predator mites
but it said that could take 5 years or so to "get them in
balance". I don't want balance, I want those little suckers
gone. They're all over the house siding, sidewalks, etc.

When I had that bad of an infestation on my chickens, (they could have
rapidly bled the hens to death!), I used 5% sevin.

I prefer organic means most of the time but sometimes there is not time
for that.

At lease sevin biodegrades rapidly.

You could try Pyrethrine too.
--
Peace, Om

Remove _ to validate e-mails.

"My mother never saw the irony in calling me a Son of a bitch" -- Jack Nicholson

Omelet wrote:

When I had that bad of an infestation on my chickens, (they could have
rapidly bled the hens to death!), I used 5% sevin.

I prefer organic means most of the time but sometimes there is not time
for that.

At lease sevin biodegrades rapidly.

You could try Pyrethrine too.
Thanks, I forwarded your reply to my reader. :-D

I just got back from the local garden place and they gave me
some stuff called K+neem (never heard of it). It's an
organic insecticide/fungicide that you spray on.

It says the active ingredient is Potassium Salds of Fatty
Acids derived from Neem seed oil. What ever the h*ll that is.

If this doesn't work I'll research sevin, thanks.

--
Steve

In article ,
Steve Calvin wrote:

Omelet wrote:

When I had that bad of an infestation on my chickens, (they could have
rapidly bled the hens to death!), I used 5% sevin.

I prefer organic means most of the time but sometimes there is not time
for that.

At lease sevin biodegrades rapidly.

You could try Pyrethrine too.
Thanks, I forwarded your reply to my reader. :-D

I just got back from the local garden place and they gave me
some stuff called K+neem (never heard of it). It's an
organic insecticide/fungicide that you spray on.

Oh I've heard good things about Neem!
You should hopefully be good to go with that.
I'd just forgotten about it as it's hard to find around here.


It says the active ingredient is Potassium Salds of Fatty
Acids derived from Neem seed oil. What ever the h*ll that is.

If this doesn't work I'll research sevin, thanks.

Good luck! :-)
I know how bad a serious break out of those things can be. Tiny as they
are, they can make a solid red sheet and number in the millions!
--
Peace, Om

Remove _ to validate e-mails.

"My mother never saw the irony in calling me a Son of a bitch" -- Jack Nicholson

Steve Calvin wrote:
I've got 'em. How do I get rid of them without hurting any plants?
I've read about introducing other predator mites but it said that could
take 5 years or so to "get them in balance". I don't want balance, I
want those little suckers gone. They're all over the house siding,
sidewalks, etc.



Most insecticides are not very effective against mites. You might try
horticultural oil, if the weather is not too hot where you are. The
bottle probably says "dormant oil spray", and it should have directions
for mixing it half-strength for spraying mites, white flies, etc. I
just used it last week to get rid of red mites on Wife's miniature
roses. (this reminds me, I need to spray them again today) If the
temperature is above 85°F, I believe you can still use the stuff if you
spray in the evenings.

Blasting the plants with a hard spray of water also kind of works. I
would try to kill as many as possible first with the oil.

Bob

In article ,
Omelet wrote:

In article ,
Steve Calvin wrote:

I've got 'em. How do I get rid of them without hurting any
plants? I've read about introducing other predator mites
but it said that could take 5 years or so to "get them in
balance". I don't want balance, I want those little suckers
gone. They're all over the house siding, sidewalks, etc.

When I had that bad of an infestation on my chickens, (they could have
rapidly bled the hens to death!), I used 5% sevin.

I prefer organic means most of the time but sometimes there is not time
for that.

At lease sevin biodegrades rapidly.

You could try Pyrethrine too.

Talk about getting blind-sided. I would never have thought of earthworms
as a problem. Still don't.

http://www.oznet.ksu.edu/dp_hfrr/ext...earthworms.htm

Problem: Earthworms - Lumbricus terrestris Earthworm Damage to
Lawn.jpg (49339 bytes)

Description: If you have mounds of soil in your lawn that make it hard
to mow, nightcrawlers may be the cause. These bumps are randomly spaced
rather than a "run" like is seen with moles.

Nightcrawlers are large worms (usually 4 to 8 inches or more). They
belong to a group of earthworms known as deep-burrowers. The
deep-burrowers build large, vertical, permanent burrows that may reach
as deep as 5 or 6 feet. Nightcrawlers pull plant material down into
their burrows which can be fed on later. The bumps you see on top of the
ground are called "middens" and are a mixture of plant residues and
castings (worm feces). These middens may be used for protection and food
reserves. The burrows can have a significant positive effect on soil by
opening up channels for water and air to penetrate. Roots also like
these channels due to the ease of root penetration and nutrients found
in the casting material lining the burrow.

Recommendations: Nightcrawlers actually help the soil but may make it
difficult to mow. Getting rid of the middens will be difficult. Rolling
the lawn while the middens are soft may help temporarily, but mounds
will be rebuilt when nightcrawlers become active again. Also, there is
nothing labeled for nightcrawler control.

Some gardeners want to protect the nightcrawlers due to their positive
effect on soils. Pesticides that may be used for other pests vary widely
in their toxic effects on earthworms. Dylox appears to have no effect.
Malathion may be slightly toxic while Sevin, Benomyl, copper sulfate,
and the arsenicals (MSMA, DSMA) are extremely toxic. Avoid using the
latter group while nightcrawlers are active if you wish to protect them.

References:

1. Earthworms and Crop Management, Purdue University Extension Pub AY-279

2. Biology of Earthworms by Edwards & Lofty, 2nd ed. Halsted Press

-----------

http://www.canr.uconn.edu/ces/ctpep/ct_bee.html

Protecting Honey Bees From Pesticide Poisoning

Honey bees are required for the pollination of many vegetable and fruit
crops. Without adequate populations of bees, the production of these and
other crops would be impossible. In addition, bee colonies are
maintained for their honey and wax production.

Serious Honey bee kills and hive decimations in Connecticut and other
states have been attributed to the use of certain pesticides, especially
insecticides in sweet corn fields and apple orchards. Since honeybees
are insects, many insecticides used for pest control are toxic to them.
The relative toxicities of various pesticides to honey bees are
presented in Table 1. For information on mammalian toxicities contact
your local county agent. . . .

Bees may be killed while foraging on blooming plants that have been
treated by certain pesticides. The greatest hazard, however, is from
insecticides, such as carbaryl (Sevin), Penncap-M and others, that may
be unintentionally carried with pollen back to the hive. . . .
-----------

Sevin, toxic to earthworm, toxic to bees and, brought to you by
Charlie's favorite company, Bayer.

If your just growing ornamentals and, you don't care about your
neighbors, then it may be a reasonable choice. But if you care for this
planet, there must be a better way but, then I'm a squirrel hugger too.

- Billy
Coloribus gustibus non disputatum (mostly)

Steve Calvin said:

I've got 'em. How do I get rid of them without hurting any
plants? I've read about introducing other predator mites
but it said that could take 5 years or so to "get them in
balance". I don't want balance, I want those little suckers
gone. They're all over the house siding, sidewalks, etc.

Red mites swarming all over the side of the house, etc. sounds
more like clover mites than spider mites. (Red spider mites are so
small as to be almost invisible, and hardly appear red to the naked
eye.)

Clover mites normally feed on lawn grasses and clover.

"Mites seen on the outside of buildings can be killed with a direct
spray of an insecticidal soap or regular liquid dish-washing soap at the
rate of 2 tablespoons per gallon of water. This treatment will not provide
any residual control."

http://www.ca.uky.edu/entomology/entfacts/ef627.asp

http://ohioline.osu.edu/hyg-fact/2000/2095.html
--
Pat in Plymouth MI ('someplace.net' is comcast)

Any technology distinguishable from magic is insufficiently advanced.
(attributed to Don Marti)

In article ,
Omelet wrote:

In article ,
Steve Calvin wrote:

I've got 'em. How do I get rid of them without hurting any
plants? I've read about introducing other predator mites
but it said that could take 5 years or so to "get them in
balance". I don't want balance, I want those little suckers
gone. They're all over the house siding, sidewalks, etc.

When I had that bad of an infestation on my chickens, (they could have
rapidly bled the hens to death!), I used 5% sevin.

I prefer organic means most of the time but sometimes there is not time
for that.

At lease sevin biodegrades rapidly.

You could try Pyrethrine too.

Hey Om:

Have you ever tried diatomaceous earth for mites/lice on chickens?

I just put some Sevin in my hens' favorite dust hole, but I hate
using stuff like that, if at all possible to find a natural remedy.
I sure as hell didn't want to dust the hens directly with the stuff.

I figure that if I need to glove-up to put something on my critters,
it's probably not something I really want to use, if there's any
viable alternative...

The reason I moved to Alaska was because of going into anaphylactic
shock after spraying some poison on some apple trees. Damn near died.
I decided if I was going to die in my early '30's, it would at least be
somewhere that I like living.

After growing up around horticultural poisons in my mom's greenhouses,
I've had my lifetime dose anyway.

Jan

--
Bedouin proverb: If you have no troubles, buy a goat.

In article ,
Jan Flora wrote:

Hey Om:

Have you ever tried diatomaceous earth for mites/lice on chickens?

It didn't work worth a flip.


I just put some Sevin in my hens' favorite dust hole, but I hate
using stuff like that, if at all possible to find a natural remedy.
I sure as hell didn't want to dust the hens directly with the stuff.

5% is safe to dust the birds directly.


I figure that if I need to glove-up to put something on my critters,
it's probably not something I really want to use, if there's any
viable alternative...

I never bothered to glove up or wear a mask.
If I'm going to expose my pets to it...

It's not something I ever had to use with great frequency.
Once or twice per year.

Ivermectin in the water works too if you don't want to use a topical
remedy.

Once per year I sevin the lawn at the same time I put front line on the
dogs and cats to control fleas. Seems to be all it really takes.


The reason I moved to Alaska was because of going into anaphylactic
shock after spraying some poison on some apple trees. Damn near died.
I decided if I was going to die in my early '30's, it would at least be
somewhere that I like living.

After growing up around horticultural poisons in my mom's greenhouses,
I've had my lifetime dose anyway.

Jan

There are levels of safety...

Pyrethrine is about the only spray I use. I use the pyrethrine cat flea
spray on flies in the house. It's the safest thing I can use around
Freya. She is a Goffins Cockatoo. Birds are very sensitive to poison
sprays.

I'm not crazy about pesticide use and there are ones that I will NEVER
get near my house. Very limited use of sevin and pyrethrine is my limit,
and BT for caterpillars.

I manage to maintain a healthy population of lizards, toads, spiders and
other predatory insects in my yard. :-)

Unfortunately, those won't control spider mites or mealy bugs.

I did purchase lacewing eggs last year to wipe out the mealy bugs and
scale in the greenhouse and that worked better than any pesticide ever
did! If you can find a natural predator for spider mites, that'd be cool.

I'd been fighting scale on my succulents during the winter months for
two years until I bought the lacewing eggs. Haven't seen scale since. :-D
--
Peace, Om

Remove _ to validate e-mails.

"My mother never saw the irony in calling me a Son of a bitch" -- Jack Nicholson

Pat Kiewicz wrote:
Steve Calvin said:
I've got 'em. How do I get rid of them without hurting any
plants? I've read about introducing other predator mites
but it said that could take 5 years or so to "get them in
balance". I don't want balance, I want those little suckers
gone. They're all over the house siding, sidewalks, etc.

Red mites swarming all over the side of the house, etc. sounds
more like clover mites than spider mites. (Red spider mites are so
small as to be almost invisible, and hardly appear red to the naked
eye.)

Clover mites normally feed on lawn grasses and clover.

"Mites seen on the outside of buildings can be killed with a direct
spray of an insecticidal soap or regular liquid dish-washing soap at the
rate of 2 tablespoons per gallon of water. This treatment will not provide
any residual control."

http://www.ca.uky.edu/entomology/entfacts/ef627.asp

http://ohioline.osu.edu/hyg-fact/2000/2095.html

Interesting, maybe I don't have red spider mites then. ;-)

Would the DW soap hurt flowers such as roses?

I did hit 'em with the stuff I posted about and as soon as I
sprayed 'em they died, immediately but again, no residual
control.

--
Steve

Steve Calvin said:

Pat Kiewicz wrote:

Red mites swarming all over the side of the house, etc. sounds
more like clover mites than spider mites. (Red spider mites are so
small as to be almost invisible, and hardly appear red to the naked
eye.)

Clover mites normally feed on lawn grasses and clover.

"Mites seen on the outside of buildings can be killed with a direct
spray of an insecticidal soap or regular liquid dish-washing soap at the
rate of 2 tablespoons per gallon of water. This treatment will not
provide
any residual control."

http://www.ca.uky.edu/entomology/entfacts/ef627.asp

http://ohioline.osu.edu/hyg-fact/2000/2095.html

Interesting, maybe I don't have red spider mites then. ;-)

Would the DW soap hurt flowers such as roses?

It's possible (especially on a hot day). You could always come
back around a short time later and rinse it off.

The commercial insecticidal soaps are tested to maximize insect kill
and minimize phytotoxicity.

I did hit 'em with the stuff I posted about and as soon as I
sprayed 'em they died, immediately but again, no residual
control.

Too much residual effect is what makes some pesticides a
bad environmental option...
--
Pat in Plymouth MI ('someplace.net' is comcast)

Any technology distinguishable from magic is insufficiently advanced.
(attributed to Don Marti)

Bit late and would definatelky hurt the plants but we used sulphur
candles in very early spring as we had bad red spider mite last year.

Hopefully that killed them.

On Sun, 03 Jun 2007 08:19:21 -0400, Steve Calvin
wrote:

I've got 'em. How do I get rid of them without hurting any
plants? I've read about introducing other predator mites
but it said that could take 5 years or so to "get them in
balance". I don't want balance, I want those little suckers
gone. They're all over the house siding, sidewalks, etc.