Lots of people seem to use parasitic flies to keep greenhouse aphids under
control these days- has anyone experience of using these, and how effective
were they?
Paul D

On 12/6/06 19:23, in article Siijg.146872$0f1.63611 [at] fe04.news.easynews.com,
"Easynews" <news [at] ww.co.uk> wrote:

> Lots of people seem to use parasitic flies to keep greenhouse aphids under
> control these days- has anyone experience of using these, and how effective
> were they?

We use them here all the time and it's extremely efficacious. They arrive
in the post regularly and we either hang the little paper envelopes on
various plants in the different glasshouses or take the tops off their
little plastic bottles and let them find their own way out. We use
nematodes, also. My husband has been working in this way since back in
the 50s/early 60s. If you do a Google search you'll find several suppliers
for the amateur gardener but it is *very* important that you don't lose your
nerve and introduce chemical sprays again.
--
Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
South Devon
(email address on website)

Not tried them , but am experimenting with two trials this year.
First is the use of two spiderrs who have webs stretching across the
greenhouse, and catch loads of flies,(including me)
The other is the use of citronella candles in the form of tea lights.
Touch wood, no aphids so far, except those caught up in webs.
regards
Cineman

"Easynews" <news [at] ww.co.uk> wrote in message
news:Siijg.146872$0f1.63611 [at] fe04.news.easynews.com...
> Lots of people seem to use parasitic flies to keep greenhouse aphids under
> control these days- has anyone experience of using these, and how
> effective were they?
> Paul D
>

Sacha <sacha [at] privacy.net> writes
>On 12/6/06 19:23, in article Siijg.146872$0f1.63611 [at] fe04.news.easynews.com,
>"Easynews" <news [at] ww.co.uk> wrote:
>
>> Lots of people seem to use parasitic flies to keep greenhouse aphids under
>> control these days- has anyone experience of using these, and how effective
>> were they?
>
>We use them here all the time and it's extremely efficacious. They arrive
>in the post regularly and we either hang the little paper envelopes on
>various plants in the different glasshouses or take the tops off their
>little plastic bottles and let them find their own way out. We use
>nematodes, also. My husband has been working in this way since back in
>the 50s/early 60s. If you do a Google search you'll find several suppliers
>for the amateur gardener but it is *very* important that you don't lose your
>nerve and introduce chemical sprays again.

Have you had to treat against mealy bug? I haven't found the mealy bug
predator to be very effective, which is a nuisance because the red
spider predator is about the only way to get rid of red spider.
--
Kay

On 13/6/06 12:06, in article h0evtcGHxpjEFwF1 [at] scarboro.demon.co.uk, "K"
<k [at] scarboro.demon.co.uk> wrote:

> Sacha <sacha [at] privacy.net> writes
>> On 12/6/06 19:23, in article Siijg.146872$0f1.63611 [at] fe04.news.easynews.com,
>> "Easynews" <news [at] ww.co.uk> wrote:
>>
>>> Lots of people seem to use parasitic flies to keep greenhouse aphids under
>>> control these days- has anyone experience of using these, and how effective
>>> were they?
>>
>> We use them here all the time and it's extremely efficacious. They arrive
>> in the post regularly and we either hang the little paper envelopes on
>> various plants in the different glasshouses or take the tops off their
>> little plastic bottles and let them find their own way out. We use
>> nematodes, also. My husband has been working in this way since back in
>> the 50s/early 60s. If you do a Google search you'll find several suppliers
>> for the amateur gardener but it is *very* important that you don't lose your
>> nerve and introduce chemical sprays again.
>
> Have you had to treat against mealy bug? I haven't found the mealy bug
> predator to be very effective, which is a nuisance because the red
> spider predator is about the only way to get rid of red spider.

Ray says Cryptolaemus works but isn't *quite* as good as some of the other
predators he uses. However, he says also that the greenhouse needs to be
warm when it's introduced and that the best time to do that is in the
evening.

--
Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
South Devon
(email address on website)

Sacha <sacha [at] privacy.net> writes
>On 13/6/06 12:06, in article h0evtcGHxpjEFwF1 [at] scarboro.demon.co.uk, "K"
><k [at] scarboro.demon.co.uk> wrote:
>
>> Sacha <sacha [at] privacy.net> writes
>>> On 12/6/06 19:23, in article Siijg.146872$0f1.63611 [at] fe04.news.easynews.com,
>>> "Easynews" <news [at] ww.co.uk> wrote:
>>>
>>>> Lots of people seem to use parasitic flies to keep greenhouse aphids under
>>>> control these days- has anyone experience of using these, and how effective
>>>> were they?
>>>
>>> We use them here all the time and it's extremely efficacious. They arrive
>>> in the post regularly and we either hang the little paper envelopes on
>>> various plants in the different glasshouses or take the tops off their
>>> little plastic bottles and let them find their own way out. We use
>>> nematodes, also. My husband has been working in this way since back in
>>> the 50s/early 60s. If you do a Google search you'll find several suppliers
>>> for the amateur gardener but it is *very* important that you don't lose your
>>> nerve and introduce chemical sprays again.
>>
>> Have you had to treat against mealy bug? I haven't found the mealy bug
>> predator to be very effective, which is a nuisance because the red
>> spider predator is about the only way to get rid of red spider.
>
>Ray says Cryptolaemus works but isn't *quite* as good as some of the other
>predators he uses. However, he says also that the greenhouse needs to be
>warm when it's introduced and that the best time to do that is in the
>evening.
>
If that's the raggedy white thing, I didn't do very well with it when I
tried last year. Maybe I should give another try. Difficult - if it's
the odd mealy bug, a cocktail stick is adequate, but when it gets too
bad for that, I think it's a bit too much for the predator to get to
grips with too.

--
Kay

On 13/6/06 23:29, in article QqBDafV7wzjEFwC9 [at] scarboro.demon.co.uk, "K"
<k [at] scarboro.demon.co.uk> wrote:

> Sacha <sacha [at] privacy.net> writes
<snip>
>>
>> Ray says Cryptolaemus works but isn't *quite* as good as some of the other
>> predators he uses. However, he says also that the greenhouse needs to be
>> warm when it's introduced and that the best time to do that is in the
>> evening.
>>
> If that's the raggedy white thing, I didn't do very well with it when I
> tried last year. Maybe I should give another try. Difficult - if it's
> the odd mealy bug, a cocktail stick is adequate, but when it gets too
> bad for that, I think it's a bit too much for the predator to get to
> grips with too.

There's another predator called Hypoapsis which we haven't tried but you
might like to give it a go. Have a look at this site to see if it's any use
to you: http://www.greengardener.co.uk/mealy.htm

--
Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
South Devon
(email address on website)

Sacha <sacha [at] privacy.net> writes
>On 13/6/06 23:29, in article QqBDafV7wzjEFwC9 [at] scarboro.demon.co.uk, "K"
><k [at] scarboro.demon.co.uk> wrote:
>
>> Sacha <sacha [at] privacy.net> writes
><snip>
>>>
>>> Ray says Cryptolaemus works but isn't *quite* as good as some of the other
>>> predators he uses. However, he says also that the greenhouse needs to be
>>> warm when it's introduced and that the best time to do that is in the
>>> evening.
>>>
>> If that's the raggedy white thing, I didn't do very well with it when I
>> tried last year. Maybe I should give another try. Difficult - if it's
>> the odd mealy bug, a cocktail stick is adequate, but when it gets too
>> bad for that, I think it's a bit too much for the predator to get to
>> grips with too.
>
>There's another predator called Hypoapsis which we haven't tried but you
>might like to give it a go. Have a look at this site to see if it's any use
>to you: http://www.greengardener.co.uk/mealy.htm
>

Yes, thanks, I know this site - it's where I get my red spider predator
from.

I might give Cryptolaemus another try - I wonder if my greenhouse gets
too hot? - it'll go to over 100 on a hot day. Not a problem for the
cacti, but the Cryptolaemus optimum temperature is 61.
--
Kay