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 Post subject: red bugs? HELP
PostPosted: Tue Apr 20, 2004 8:12 pm 
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Joined: Thu Sep 25, 2003 11:12 am
Posts: 46
Location: lewisville,tx
Is there no one else that has these pests? Am i missing something? During the day they hide somewhere but every morning I see more marks on my plants. I'm hesitant to begin spraying with garlic or orange oil or anything because I use the sage and especially the mint (I supply a couple of restaurants with organic herbs) on a fairly regular basis. I've asked at a coulple of local nurserys and they either look at me like I'm crazy or try to sell me chemicals. I'm sure that if I have them in Lewisville and my mom has them in southern Dallas then SOMEONE SOMEWHERE must also know about them. I begining to wonder if this is a bad episode of Twilight Zone. HELP!!! :?


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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Wed Apr 21, 2004 7:12 am 
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Joined: Thu May 01, 2003 9:21 am
Posts: 157
Location: Waxahachie,TX
As far as the type of bug you have maybe if you can either describe the bug a little more or better yet post a picture of one then maybe we help a little more with identifying the pest. Detail is always a good thing.

In regards to spraying with Orange Oil and Garlic / Pepper Spray it is not going to harm anything you have and of course the herbs will still be very safe to eat. I do recommend rinsing them off before you/they use them though. If you do not have to use the citrus(orange) oil do not because it is a non-selective killer and will kill beneficial bugs as well. Try the Garlic / Pepper Spray first. But if you do use orange oil remember it is a contact killer so if there are no bugs the citrus(orange) oil will not do anything. So I would say go ahead and spray away. :D

My 2 Cents,
Chad


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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Wed Apr 21, 2004 9:37 am 
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Joined: Thu Sep 25, 2003 11:12 am
Posts: 46
Location: lewisville,tx
i described the bug in the post "weird red bug". i dont know what else i can say. it is a bit smaller than a ladybug and not as round. its underside and body is bright red. the wings are black with two stripes on each. ther looks like there might be some tiny spots on its rear (my eyes arent as sharp as they once were).


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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Mon Apr 26, 2004 3:29 pm 
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Joined: Mon Jun 30, 2003 7:40 am
Posts: 28
Location: Dallas,TEXAS
I, too, am deluged by those same red/black bugs. What are they? Does the pepper/garlic spray solution still apply? Are there other bugs that might eat them?


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 Post subject: red bugs
PostPosted: Mon Apr 26, 2004 3:56 pm 
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Joined: Thu Sep 25, 2003 11:12 am
Posts: 46
Location: lewisville,tx
sandih on the post about bugs eating bush beans says they are called 4-line plant bug. she says they will be gone by june although I havent seen them now in about a week. i dont know if this weekends rain had anything to do with it. my mom, who also lives in Oak Cliff says she is still seeing them but not as heavy as earlier. Sandih does not say anything about control however she says it is in Howard's bug book. If you have the book, i do not, could you please post a control. Thanks!
unklmike
we cliff dwellers have to stick together!


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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Mon Apr 26, 2004 4:54 pm 
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Joined: Mon Jun 30, 2003 7:40 am
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Location: Dallas,TEXAS
I love the Cliff! I don't have HG's bug book, so can't help with control method. They're ALL over the place! I'm seeing round bruise-like spots on my mint.


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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Mon Apr 26, 2004 5:13 pm 
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Joined: Sat May 10, 2003 5:48 pm
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Location: Weatherford,TX
If you have a bug problem & can't ID or control it, use NEEM OIL or one of the other plant oils to get rid of the critter before it kills your plant. After controlling the bug, find out what it is, why you have it & then take corrective measures.

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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Tue Apr 27, 2004 8:11 am 
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Location: Dallas,TEXAS
It is the 4-line plant bug. Bright red underbelly, 2 lines on either "wing" like to hide from you on the opposite side of the stem and sucks little circles in the leaves of your herbs. Nasty little thing. I did find a sedum that they liked to hang out in so I doused them with DE and I think I got some of them. I talked to Howard Garret about these pests during the last organic show in Arlington. He suggested that we try Beneficial Nematodes in the early spring before they appear because the 4-line does overwinter underground. Don't know if it'll make a difference but it certainly couldn't hurt.

The other thing is to watch for the assassin bug. It's the 4-lines natural predator. You can see a pic of them in Howard's Bug Book. I started seeing the assassin bug the same time I started getting the 4-line. I actually saw a 4-line speared on the long probiscus of the assassin bug last year. Nature is a very cool thing.

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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Tue Apr 27, 2004 8:12 am 
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Location: Dallas,TEXAS
Oh, one last thing....

The 4-line will go away in about a month or 2..that don't to the warmer weather.

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Sandi
Texas Certified Nursery Professional
Texas Master Naturalist
Organic gardener
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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Tue Apr 27, 2004 8:13 am 
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Location: Dallas,TEXAS
sorry, that should read "they don't take to the warmer weather".

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Texas Certified Nursery Professional
Texas Master Naturalist
Organic gardener
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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Tue Apr 27, 2004 10:48 am 
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Joined: Thu Sep 25, 2003 11:12 am
Posts: 46
Location: lewisville,tx
sandih, et al. thank you so much for the info! now is there anything i can do to attract assassin bugs?
unklmike


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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Tue Apr 27, 2004 12:26 pm 
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Location: Dallas,TEXAS
you've done it already..you have their food source!

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Texas Certified Nursery Professional
Texas Master Naturalist
Organic gardener
Tree-Hugger
Native Texan


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