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ASIAN LADY BEETLE (LADY BUG) INFESTATION
Stan:
I live just a short distance west of
Ottawa near Algonquin Park. This fall we have had an incredible
infestation of Asian Lady Beetles
or more commonly called Lady Bugs. I'm not talking about a few
dozen or so but literally thousands have amassed on my log house
and of course many have eventually found their way inside. Research
that I have done suggests this species was brought in Canada
and the USA to combat infestations of aphids and other scale
insects that destroy fruit crops and soy beans as they are more
aggressive than indigenous species. There is a product available
in the US that can repel and eliminate them but I not sure if
these products can be shipped into Canada. The main ingredient
in these products is cypermethrin and apparently it aggravates
them enough to keep them away. I noticed in one of your articles
you talk about a product called 'Doktor Doom' and it contains
'permethrin'. Could this be the same? I realize lady bugs are
a natural alternative to pesticides for certain insects but they
are definitely out of control in this area. You almost become
a hostage in your home. I have to vacuum them up 2 - 3 times
a day just to stay ahead of the game.
Thank you for any help or advice you can offer.
Bill
Bill - What a problem, most of
our 'organic types' out here would bless the day when such a
situation arrived upon their walls, decks and windows.
These comptrollers of the garden and compost in the west are
few and far between because of slash and burn attitudes instilled
by the vocal back yard growers of the 60's, when other than the
anointed of vegetation was acceptable, and of the purity of plant
specimens only accepted as illustrated in the most sterile and
expensive of publications promoting weed and pest free horticulture.
Of course these bugs, and they are real bugs as classified by
the entomologists, will not last through the winter... but their
eggs may.
The product you mentioned has a pesticidal base, or active ingredient,
of copper. The product is safe to use and will not have adverse
or phyto toxic effects on other than the target.
Doktor Doom is a product[s] of varying percentages of pyrethrum,
and will leave a 30 to 60 day residual on the surface being frequented
by the bugs. If used in high light conditions or in sunny areas,
will have a lessened toxic life.
There are a number of other pesticides using the active ingredient,
and can safely be used on other than bees. Resmethrin and Permethrin
are two of the best. D. Doom will be available in the East next
spring. Check out his web site: www.doktordoom.com
Good to hear from you.
Keep in touch
ASIAN BEETLE INFESTATION...THE CONTINUING SAGA
Reply from Bill re: Asian Lady Beetle infestation
- near Algonquin Park, Ottawa ON
(thread from letter above)
Good day : Doktor Doom finally arrived and just in time. The
temperature was 17 C and a million of them woke up before I managed
to get the windows and doors sprayed plus some other areas. The
preliminary results look pretty good. These are really tough
bugs. We have a 14' X 12' screened porch off the kitchen and
it is a nice place to sit when the weather is nice until these
bugs came along. I sprayed the outside around 3:00PM as the walls
were covered and it drove them inside almost immediately so I
then sprayed the inside. My wife was sitting on the couch watching
TV when I came in and she asked me if it was raining. I said,
"no, it's the bugs falling off the ceiling of the porch
and hitting the floor". I kid you not that's how many there
was today. As soon as the sun started to warm things up they
came out of the forest by the thousands.
I find that it doesn't necessarily kill them on contact but it
only takes just a few seconds for them to figure out they don't
like this stuff and once I have a coating down they don't last
long.
Tomorrow will be the big test as I plan on spraying inside, all
the cracks and crevices etc. and then going to town for a few
hours. I expect numerous carcasses when I return but it will
be worth it.
Talk to you soon.
Bill
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