Leatherjackets
Moderators: KG Steve, Chantal, Tigger, peter
Is there any way to get rid of these things? Other than the nematodes stuff that you can't use until Sept. There seems to be an invasion of these little beasties on the lottie this year. Never seen them before. I'm blaming all that wretched rain.
I don't think that there is an approved (or even available nowadays) pesticide. I had a terrible year a while ago with an infestation of my back lawn and resorted to Gamma BHC, but you can't use that any more. Nowadays, on the lawn, I cover an area with plastic overnight and the leatherjackets come up to the surface and you can pick them off in the morning.
They are mainly found feeding on grass roots, so if your plot was previously grassy that may be why you have so many. Think you just have to deal with the ones you find and hope that with concentrated cultivation the population will decrease as the adult crane-fly will prefer to lay her eggs in grassed areas.
PS suggest not squishing them by hand as my daughter was very painfully bitten when she picked one up (she was only 18 months old and had very tender little fingers, but nonetheless, they have good strong jaws for biting through roots!)
They are mainly found feeding on grass roots, so if your plot was previously grassy that may be why you have so many. Think you just have to deal with the ones you find and hope that with concentrated cultivation the population will decrease as the adult crane-fly will prefer to lay her eggs in grassed areas.
PS suggest not squishing them by hand as my daughter was very painfully bitten when she picked one up (she was only 18 months old and had very tender little fingers, but nonetheless, they have good strong jaws for biting through roots!)
Jude
There are more questions than answers.
There are more questions than answers.
Well the plot next door is very grassy and a lot of grass did grow in places on the plot. However there is a woman a few plots away who has got them as well and there hasn't been any grass on that plot for many a year. So who knows what is going on. They've been eating her broad beans.
Thanks for the advice about the squishing I shall make sure it gets passed on.
Thanks for the advice about the squishing I shall make sure it gets passed on.