Green shield beetle & other things

[Hasbeen]

This season has been a nightmare here with these wee sods.
Last year was fine, just the odd one.

Now I have killed so many that i can no longer smell them.
Averaged 30 a day on the tomato plants for about 4 weeks--just killed 6 adults on one scarlet runner bean.

Last year we had a large number of preying mantises but something has gone wrong.
I have seen 2 juveniles this season & no adults. Weird!

On the other hand the place has many white butterflies but the grubs don't make it past microscopic (by my failing eyes) my wonderful paper wasps cart them off.
Not one left on the green-broccoli even at this late stage of the year.
I know, I know; I love Monarchs too; but you can't eat them nor anything they eat ---soooo I am for human survival.
I put in plants to feed the interlopers ( where are the red Cardinals of my youth?) but not food for their offspring.
That I leave for others with an income they feel can do philanthropic work.

Pensions are not flexible that way.

[Stikkibeek]

Do you have chooks hasbeen? They will clean up the good guys like the preying mantis and the bad guys like the green sheild beetle.

Now here's a great way to catch those GSBs. Cut the top off a drink bottle such as a sprite bottle so that the top part is like a funnel, remove the bottletop and then invert the cut piece inside the rest of the bottle so it's firm. Sometimes you might need to put hot water in the lower part to make it stretch a little.
Then go bug hunting. Use the beetles own drop off the vine tactic to your advantage by putting the "funnel" underneath them. They drop through the funnel into the bottle and can't escape while you continue catching. When you have found all you can, fill the bottle with warm water, and they quickly succumb. Pull out the funnel part and tip them out once all movement has ceased. If you don't have chooks to clean them up for you, you might have a friendly hedgehog that will be very grateful for the feast. Put the funnel back in and you are ready to start over again.

[KiplingAngel]

What a wonderful idea Stikkibeak - I have planted out 15 heritage tomato plants, and they have been decimated by the blardy shield beetles - they are all over my blackberries and even on my apples - we just can't keep up. I don't want to spray poison or do anything that could do harm to the plants or earth.

I'll nip across the fence to see if the neighbours chooks want the resulting bounty, next year we'll have our own...

Cheers for the tip

KA

[Hasbeen]

The Chook house is being built as we speak.
I have designed it to be waist high so that I can take care of it without bending.
It is in a back corner of a double garage with a hatch & ramp out into the run.
Off to find untreated sawdust for the tin tray floor & barley straw for the nest boxes.
I will be able to rake everything into my barrow.
Room to store things under it.
Wonder if I should save (pickle) all the bloody beetles for them?

[Stikkibeek]

Hasbeen, if you have the chook house open to the inside of the garage, I hope you are aware that your car/s (if you park them in there) will get covered in chook dander, as will everything else in the garage.

[Hasbeen]

Thanks Stikkibeek; it is a double garage that was built as a product store when we ran a business from home; in another life.
It now sits redundant, but we are unable to build anything more on the section.
Hubby wanted to have chooks again but there was no room.

I had a sudden waiving of the brain & the inbuilt chook house became the answer.

There will be a nice run outside that would make an Avery should a new owner wish.
Can't stand caged birds myself, but who knows, might be a selling point when we start teetering on the perch.

Good grief untangle all those mixed metaphor.

No good getting old if you don't get crafty

Oh almost forgot; the rest of the building is screened off.

[Stikkibeek]

Well promise me that when you feel old and crafty, it will be positive, and not like my MIL, although I'd call that cunning, like a weasel .........Think someone hung a tail on it!

[Hasbeen]

Originally Posted by Stikkibeek

Well promise me that when you feel old and crafty, it will be positive, and not like my MIL, although I'd call that cunning, like a weasel .........Think someone hung a tail on it!

I don't think age changes or improves personality Stikkibeek.

I often think you can tell how people will be at 80 by seeing them at 8.
Basic personality type seems to set about then.

School reunions are a great place to see the truth of this.

[stephclark]

[QUOTE=Hasbeen;358153]I don't think age changes or improves personality Stikkibeek.


oh that settles it then.. i have " crazy old cat lady" to look forward to...