Unwanted boo guests

Controlling pests of bamboo

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Rynamor
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Unwanted boo guests

Post by Rynamor »

I've seen a lot of these critters lately. I think they are what is eating all my cutting's leaves that I planted in the ground, and several of the in-ground boo in my yard. They're all about this big... what can I do? The ones in pots seem to be a bit better protected, the one in the picture is the first potted boo that I have seen one on.

Image

Thanks,

Ryan
Last edited by Rynamor on Thu Jul 26, 2007 1:56 am, edited 2 times in total.
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boonut
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RE: Unwanted boo guests

Post by boonut »

No pics...

I have problems with rats from time to time that munch on my new branch buds and new shoots from time to time in the city. I just put out traps and that slows them down for a while.

At the farm, I mainly have problems with rabbits, but with so much rain lately, they haven't touched my boo. I put cages around most new plantings at the farm in the early years.

Send pics so we know what you are talking about...
Allen D. Aleshire
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Rynamor
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Re: RE: Unwanted boo guests

Post by Rynamor »

boonut wrote:No pics...

I have problems with rats from time to time that munch on my new branch buds and new shoots from time to time in the city. I just put out traps and that slows them down for a while.

At the farm, I mainly have problems with rabbits, but with so much rain lately, they haven't touched my boo. I put cages around most new plantings at the farm in the early years.

Send pics so we know what you are talking about...
woops... fixed that
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sporkandbeans
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RE: Unwanted boo guests

Post by sporkandbeans »

We've noticed a LOT of those this summer, too. Must be a good year for grasshoppers. In a related matter, I've only seen a few Japanese Beetles this year.
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RE: Unwanted boo guests

Post by Roy »

I do battle all Summer long with these critters on my crinum lilly plants. I also find them sitting around on my bamboo leaves, but I don't ever see any damage on my bamboo leaves from them.

Image
--------------------------
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RE: Unwanted boo guests

Post by bambooweb »

NoLo bait will decrease the population. I have spread it in the spring when there was a lot of grasshoppers the previous year and it seemed to work.
Grasshopper Pathogen
(Nosema locustae)


This single-celled microsporidium protozoan in a wheat bran formulation infects and naturally controls over 90 species of grasshoppers (Melanoplus group), locusts, and mormon crickets (actually a species of grasshopper).

Nosema should be broadcast in affected and outlying areas; apply early in the season as the hoppers emerge, which is when Nosema is most effective.

Grasshoppers stop feeding, become lethargic and die after feeding on Nosema-laced wheat bran bait. The disease is contagious and other grasshoppers become infected by cannibalizing diseased grasshoppers in the area.

It is very important to understand that Nosema locustae does not work rapidly. The spores must be applied against the small grasshoppers (by 3rd to 4th instar) in and near the hatching areas for maximum efficacy. This disease can be an effective control, but it will act slowly. It will have little or no impact on later instars or adult grasshoppers that move into your yard or garden.

Putting out the bait at the minimum label rate of 1 lb. per acre will begin the disease process in the current population. Severe infestations may require higher application rates, as there may not be enough bran flakes to go around. Depending on the grasshopper population densities and varying age groups at the time, the level of inoculation will vary.

Nosema does not provide immediate elimination of grasshoppers, but may cause some reduction in hopper numbers in a few days or weeks, but in general it is a slow acting and debilitating disease that offers long-term management of grasshopper populations. There is some Nosema carryover to the next year.

Bill
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Iowaboo
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RE: Unwanted boo guests

Post by Iowaboo »

Only advantage bamboo has over other plants is not having that succulent cambium layer, but the grasshoppers still enjoy the leaves........... :cry:
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Rynamor
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RE: Unwanted boo guests

Post by Rynamor »

Well, I came back from vacation (was gone a week) and the little suckers ate *every* leaf off of a row of cuttings I had on the side of my house. The only thing they didn't touch was my Lako. Most of the cuttings were a bit on the dry side too, so they bit the dust. The vulgaris and clone-x cuttings were pretty much toast. They also stripped all the leaves off of a row of some annuals in the area.

Little hope this season, since they are now huge and covered with hard shells. I'll try some bait next season...

Ryan
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