Re: [AlpacaTalk] Hope someone can give me some answers regarding grubs
Hey Laurel,
I agree in your healthy garden and pasture maintenance practices!
I think sometimes we need to understand that not all farms are the same. What one person may be experiencing may not occur on another's farm. Again, as I said, I think it's best to work with local ag. personal and entomologists to really get a good handle on an individual issue.
Unfortunately, unlike at your farm, the japanese beetles here in Maryland eat my corn as well as my squash blossoms. I agree, timing is imperative, however, some of us can't sync ourselves as accurately with mother nature as we'd like... :/ but we do the best we can.
Dede Crout
Dragonfly Alpacas LLC
Marydel, Md
410 482 7794
wwwmdragonflyalpacas.com
Hi Dede,
My objection is not at all to trapping, my objection, or what I want folks to pause on is the application of pesticide to their pastures. Up until last year, we have run a certified organic farm, growing for market for over 18 years, a CSA for 15 of those years with 430 shares at our peak year. We still grow organically, but just for ourselves and a small local market for our kids to make a little bit of money in the summer.
Japanese beetles are a major local pest to ornamentals, not veggies, at least we never had an issue with them eating anything, fortunately. If you grow roses, they would be at the top of your hit list for sure!!! June Bugs are an annoyance that probably impact lawns, but never bothered anything else in the veggie department. Cucumber and Bean beetles were our worst pests, but they are small and have no impact on lawn or pasture, the cucumber beetle being the same as the corn root maggot, and we have lots of corn grown around here, making it impossible to eliminate and very difficult to control.
Our guiding principle was that if you take care of the vegetable with adequate fertility and managed the timing of planting, you could help the plant stay ahead of the pest. Potato beetles were never a problem for that reason. Kinda like with our alpacas, if you want them to have an edge against parasites, you keep their immunity up with good diet and minimal stress, and then they control the parasites on their own. Just heard Dr. Cebra at the Ohio State International Camelid Conference state that he feels all alpaca herds probably have E mac, but most alpacas have developed the immunity to control it.
Managing your pastures correctly with proper grazing and application of soil amendments after soil has been analyzed to determine its needs, will help your pasture and lawn stay ahead of the effects of grubs.
Anywho, just want folks to take into consideration the beneficial dung beetles before they broadcast grub killers in their pastures. Additionally, do the research about what grub control will work in your area and the timing of application, for using controls without proper timing will be ineffective and a waste of money.
Laurel
The Shouvlins
Bluebird Hills Farm
3617 Derr Road
Springfield, Ohio 45503
937-206-3936
www.bluebirdhills.com
bluebirdhills@voyager.net
> Correct Laurel,
>
> But the dung beetles are not attracted to the jap beetle traps either...
>
> Dede Crout
> Dragonfly Alpacas LLC
> Marydle, 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 22:07:25
> To: <AlpacaTalk@yahoogroups.com>
> Reply-To: AlpacaTalk@yahoogroups.com
> Subject: Re: [AlpacaTalk] Hope someone can give me some answers regarding
> grubs
>
>
>
> Hi Dede,
> Not all grubs are feeding off pasture grass, the dung beetle
> grubs are feeding off of dung.
> 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 7:10 AM
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