Hi All,
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On the left above is a variety of Whitefly; on the right a subspecies of Ladybug called the Delphastus Beetle. (a variety of Ladybug)
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You are interested in this, why?
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Because the little Whitefly has the power to destroy every Ficus tree and hedge in CV at an alarming speed.
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This fly is spreading rapidly across Southern Florida.
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Of course, the first thing that comes to mind is to engulf our Ficus in a deluge of various pesticides, both granular and liquid, at significant cost.
A key factor mitigating against spraying is that these flys will in short order develop a resistance to whatever molecule is selected.
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As a card carrying member of the Sierra Club, I would like to suggest a "Green Solution" to this problem.
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Oh yes, the little Ladybug on the right destroys Whiteflys at a prodigious rate at the site of infestation. The one pictured above is busy eating Whitefly larvae which is deposited on the underside of the leaf
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Let's think about it before we start spraying.
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This would be a fine project for UCO to take up and coordinate; Do not ignore this problem, it is not likely to go away.
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Dave Israel
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9 comments:
Lawlessness is running rampant in Century Village; millions are being stolen; UCO is a collection of idiots;
and you're talking about bugs
This is a project made for Elaine to headup.
Just a suggestion.
Mike
We received a letter from Seacrest saying they were going to put granular systemic insecticide at the root base of all plant materials and followed by a foliage liquid insecticide application. This will be quarterly at a cost to us of $0.75 per linear foot. We have ficus bushes all along the walkway and in the back as well. I have been checking the bushes outside my front door and they are okay, so far. Are we obliged to go along with Seacrest or can we get our own insecticide and do it ourselves and I do with my little back garden?
Hi Grace
Oct 16, 2008 9:01:00 AM,
You may select any Vendor and method of attack you wish, Seacrest is not the only game in town.
The case I am trying to make is that there are alternate strategies other than spraying pesticides.
Dave
Prime Mgmt. told us something similar to Grace about the white fly. I jus thope it works.
Literature was available at
yesterday's Maintenance Committee
meeting and there is a web site
"ficuswhiteflytreatment.com"
I do like Dave's suggestion of
Lady Bugs..
Bettie L
Dave thanks for always providing solutions in your posts. Anonymous 7:16 does not understand the dangers of a poisoned environment, pesticides, pollution, drugs, febreze and all sprays, aspartame and all food additives, too much chlorine, fluoride, aluminum.
I for one would love to do something other than insectisides on the bushes. You can't go to Home Depot and buy lady bugs. I used to grow hot pepper plants in my little patch of garden and make my own hot sauce until the day I saw a Seacrest man coming around and spraying some horrible stuff. Quite frankly our bushes are doing just fine at this time. I, of course, do my own spraying in my condo against Florida bugs. I get out after but still we are inundated with all this poison. So what do we do????? By the way, Elaine, all the sugerless foods are full of the aspartame. I used to love the Archer yogurt that was sugarless until I found out about aspartame. I threw out all that I had left, about six.
Hi Grace
Oct 17, 2008 9:49:00 AM,
True, no Ladybugs at the Home Depot, however one can purchase them on the WWW.
See the last URL at bottom of main post.
Dave
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