Re: [AlpacaTalk] Hope someone can give me some answers regarding grubs
The majority of beetles with exception of dung beetles, are primarily plant eating. As opposed to carnivorous insects, such as wasps, spiders, lady beetles and praying mantis. While in a larval state, all subsurface grubs must gain considerable fat in order to have the energy to morph into adults. They do this by consuming high volumes of roots from plant (pasture grass). Unfortunately, the Japanese beetles have reproduced (not native to the US, which out-consumes native beetles) and have reached numbers so high that it makes a locust frenzy look like a picnic. They have devoured our corn crops, our flowers, and our tree blossoms literally overnight. The grubs that belong to these beetles as well as June beetles, can be up to an inch and a half long, with a thick, rubbery skin, in order to protect them from the harsh winters. Because we had such a mild winter here in the East Coast, a much higher percentage of these grubs will mature to adults in the thousands. And thats just on our farm. It is absolutely imperative that these beetles are kept under control via traps during the summer months. These traps are designed to attract primarily male Japanese beetles by distributing sweet smelling pheromones. We have been working very closely with the Dept of Ag as well as the Entomology Department at the Smithsonian in D.C. We are very well aware of the benefits of hard working beneficial insects. Every year we often collect over 100 mantis egg cases and distribute them into 'problem' area as well as give them to friends. We are not advocates of sprays or pesticides, but a natural balance needs to be achieved. We are still amazed how nature, when in balance, will control pests natually. Within days of an aphid outbreak, Lady Bug larva appear and devour them. Tomato Horn Worms are quickly controled by parasitic wasps. But without a natural predator, left unchecked, the Japanese beetles will over populate the area and decimate crops and ornamentals and out-consume other native species .
Dede Crout
Dragonfly Alpacas, LLC
Marydel, MD
410-482-7794
Www.dragonflyalpacas.com.
Sent from my Verizon Wireless Phone
-----Original message-----
From: Bluebird Hills Farm <bluebirdhills@voyager.net>
To: AlpacaTalk@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Sun, Mar 25, 2012 21:04:22 GMT+00:00
Subject: Re: [AlpacaTalk] Hope someone can give me some answers regarding grubsFrom her dexcription Dee I would actually assume that the vast majority of the grubs are dung beetles. Unfortunately if you try to kill one specie, you will kill all of them. The choice is their's of course. Mine are already burying the manure that accumulated in the pastures this winter. I would never do anything to intentionally harm such great employees that work for free! And I don't even have to pay workers comp!
Laurel
The Shouvlins
Bluebird Hills Farm
3617 Derr Road
Springfield, Ohio 45503
937-206-3936
www.bluebirdhills.com
bluebirdhills@voyager.net
> Yep,
>
> Your right, some of them could indeed be dungs, but not all. Also keep in
> mind, the grubs are feeding off the roots of the pasture grass...
> Japanese beetles will demolish a garden quickly if not controlled.
>
> Dede Crout
> Dragonfly Alpacas LLC
> Marydel, Md
> 410 482 7794
> www.dragonflyalpacas.com
> Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry
>
> -----Original Message-----
>
From: "Bluebird Hills Farm" <bluebirdhills@voyager.net>
> Sender: AlpacaTalk@yahoogroups.com
> Date: Sun, 25 Mar 2012 16:46:45
> To: <AlpacaTalk@yahoogroups.com>
> Reply-To: AlpacaTalk@yahoogroups.com
> Subject: Re: [AlpacaTalk] Hope someone can give me some answers regarding
> grubs
>
>
>
> Whoa Guys,
> Wait a minute!!!!
> What you likely have is a MAJOR
> asset to your pasture. These grubs are very likely Dung Beetles. There
> are
> several species and I have been trying to figure out how to increase our
> populations and perhaps even raising them for sale to other folks who
> have
> pasture animals.
>
> These guys take poop underground vastly
> improving issues with parasites and flies.
> We have two different
> species a very large one and a smaller one. I have already, with the warm
> weather, seen both species actively breaking up manure and burying it.
> They eat pooo, not roots etc.
>
> Do a search on dung beetles and
> you will quickly consider them your allies!!!
> Laurel
> The
> Shouvlins
> Bluebird Hills Farm
> 3617 Derr Road
> Springfield, Ohio 45503
> 937-206-3936
> www.bluebirdhills.com
>
> bluebirdhills@voyager.net
>
>> While there are
> biological controls that can be applied to the pastures,
>> it
> will be quite costly if you have a fair amount of land. (BT or
>>
> bacillus thurogenensis) (sp?) This is the same bacteria found in mosquito
>
>> dunks. I think finding them and digging them out will be quite
> an
>> undertaking as well. I would suggest that you simply allow
> the grubs to
>> mature into beetle and that you set up the
> Japanese Beetle traps. The
>> attractant in the traps will attract
> all of the beetles, not just the
>> Japanese beetles. You will
> never eliminate all of them, but you can reduce
>> the numbers. We
> have used beetle traps for the last 3 years and we have
>> noticed
> a marked decrease in beetles and grubs.
>>
>> Roger and
> Dede Crout
>> Dragonfly Alpacas, LLC
>> Marydel, MD
>> Www,dragonflyalpacas.com
>> 410-482-7794
>>
>> Sent from my Verizon Wireless Phone
>>
>>
> -----Original message-----
>>
>
From: Deborah Russell
> <russhill2002@yahoo.com>
>> To:
> "AlpacaTalk@yahoogroups.com" <AlpacaTalk@yahoogroups.com>
>
>> Sent: Sun, Mar 25, 2012 20:08:16 GMT+00:00
>> Subject:
> Re: [AlpacaTalk] Hope someone can give me some answers regarding
>> grubs
>>
>> The best and safest thing to do with
> the grubs is dig them out and either
>> feed them to some chickens
> or just smash them. Â They will morph into
>> beetles
> and that will be in the near future. Â So if you do nothing
> they
>> will just morph into beetles. Â Personally I
> would not worry about them.
>> Â I do have chickens and
> when I find some of the large June bug grubs I
>> give the
> chickens a treat. Â
>> I would not use
> a pesticide at all. Â
>>
> Â
>> Debbie Hill Russell
>> Fredericksburg, TX
>
>> Russell Hill Ranch
>> russhill@beecreek.net
>>
> http://russellhillranch.blogspot.com/
>>
>>
>>
> ________________________________
>>
>
From: jennymt1402002
> <jennymt1402002@yahoo.com>
>> To: AlpacaTalk@yahoogroups.com
>
>> Sent: Sunday, March 25, 2012 2:55 PM
>> Subject:
> [AlpacaTalk] Hope someone can give me some answers regarding
>>
> grubs
>>
>> We were out in the pasture and noticed when we
> dug up some dirt that he
>> had huge grubs in the dirt. We then
> went to our poop pile that we had been
>> composting and was
> digging in it and rotating the dirt and it is infested
>> with
> grubs.
>>
>> Does anyone have any idea on what we could
> use to get rid of the grubs
>> without hurting our alpacas. We can
> keep them penned up while cleaned up
>> the corral and then put
> them in the corral when we took care of their
>> paddocks. Just
> need some idea on what we could use to get rid them without
>>
> harm to alpacas.
>>
>> Hope someone has some idea.
>>
>> Thanks in advance
>>
>> Carla
>>
> Country Home Alpacas
>> Mcpherson Kanas
>>
>>
>>
>> ----------------------
>>
>
>
>
posted by Chaddo at 2:37 PM
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