| How can I effectively deal with grasshoppers and with small yellow and black stripped beatles? |
| I'm also preparing to combat grasshoppers next summer, and fortunately there is a biological control available that is non-toxic to animals, plants, other insects and people. It's called Grasshopper Bait, and you can purchase it from Peaceful Valley Farm Supply, P.O. Box 2209, Grass Valley, CA 95945, (916) 272-4769. Were the yellow and black striped beetles eating your squash and cucumbers? If so, they were probably cucumber beetles. A good strategy for these pests is to cover your susceptible plants with row covers, such as Reemay, until they begin flowering. Then remove the covers so the plants can be pollinated. Radishes have been found to repel these beetles, so you could try interplanting your cucumbers and squash with radishes. In case of a severe infestation, spray with sabadilla or rotenone insecticides. Treat the plants in the morning, just before the beetles become most active. At midday, cover your plants with row covers to keep the beetles inside with the insecticide. After 3 days, the spray will have dissipated enough so you can remove the covers and let the pollinators back. Good luck. |
