You know, I never really HAVE ants in the main part of my yard, now that the subject is mentioned. A couple of years past, I used Cutter Bug Free Backyard, but I don't think I've done anything else detrimental... There's one small spot next to my driveway where I always have a small colony of fire ants, but otherwise.....Yikes, now I'm worried.
Lawn grub control
- Thread starter Quattro Pete
- Start date
- Status
Best to avoid monoculture turf grass lawns. They are artificial and hard to sustain. Tons of money in fertilizer, water, and pesticides. Watering a lawn with water that was processed to human drinking water standards is a waste, though I realize most folks don't have an alternative water source. Best lawn is a mix if various grasses, clover, violets, etc.--whatever, just keep it mowed and it will be low and relatively green, and with a diverse mixture of plants, no pest is going to do significant damage to the whole lawn. Don't water or fertilize. It just makes the grass grow and then you have to mow.
I had to stop watering my lawn at night because fungus nearly wiped out the entire lawn. It took nearly 2 years to get it all healed. I guess St. Augustine is particularly prone to it.
So, I bought 2 timers and set them to water once a week, early in the morning before I get up. 2 rotary sprinkers do my entire back yard, and 2 more do half of the front. All I have to do is move them once, set the timer again and go to work.
Considering the heat, I'm actually surprised once a week has been enough to keep it alive. But my lawn looks better this summer than it ever has. Thank you Scotts Southern Lawn Turf Builder and Spectracide. I'd like to give a special thanks to Estes ProStar fungicide for getting rid of the fungus before it consumed my entire yard.
So, I bought 2 timers and set them to water once a week, early in the morning before I get up. 2 rotary sprinkers do my entire back yard, and 2 more do half of the front. All I have to do is move them once, set the timer again and go to work.
Considering the heat, I'm actually surprised once a week has been enough to keep it alive. But my lawn looks better this summer than it ever has. Thank you Scotts Southern Lawn Turf Builder and Spectracide. I'd like to give a special thanks to Estes ProStar fungicide for getting rid of the fungus before it consumed my entire yard.
I don't envy you guys. I have done nothing but occasionally mow my lawn for the past 8 years and it's still there.
Originally Posted By: TallPaul
Best to avoid monoculture turf grass lawns. They are artificial and hard to sustain. Tons of money in fertilizer, water, and pesticides....
Don't water or fertilize. It just makes the grass grow and then you have to mow.
I do wish I had not gone down this path. My neighbor across the street does not water, fertilize or weed and keeps a very low maintenance lawn. It's not as dark green, but the man mows a quarter to a third of the frequency of ours. That said, he doesn't get the winter road salt damage I do.
Best to avoid monoculture turf grass lawns. They are artificial and hard to sustain. Tons of money in fertilizer, water, and pesticides....
Don't water or fertilize. It just makes the grass grow and then you have to mow.
I do wish I had not gone down this path. My neighbor across the street does not water, fertilize or weed and keeps a very low maintenance lawn. It's not as dark green, but the man mows a quarter to a third of the frequency of ours. That said, he doesn't get the winter road salt damage I do.
The weeds that grow here and big and ugly. If you don't control them, they tower over your yard and grow as big as saplings and really makes the yard look like trash. So, if I'm gonna control one, I'm gonna control them all. It's a lot of work, but my yard looks like a soft green carpet.
What the lawn service wanted to sell you was meant to PREVENT grub damage. As others have said it would have been a Merit/Imidacloprid based granular product applied sometime in June, July or August. It is active long enough to be present as soon as the grubs become active and start feeding on your grass roots in August and September. Merit won't do anything to the insect population in general and is targeted at the subsurface grubs. You could use a general insecticide but would need to apply every 7-14 days during the peak activity season to be sure you got effective control. The only way to know if you have a grub problem is to either dig up the yard or cross your fingers and hope there aren't enough to kill off the grass in patches from feeding on the roots.
You can do the work yourself if you have a spreader. Look for products that have Merit or Imidacloprid as the active ingredient. Bayer has one and there is also a product known as Grub-X. If you are going to do it make sure you do it soon as the window is closing depending on where exactly you are located. Also make sure to water it in within 48 hours.
BTW, Merit was what was used effectively in the Asian Longhorn Beetle eradication program in Chicago and New York City metro areas. It is also being used now to prevent and treat Emerald Ash Borer infestations in place of tree removal programs.
You can do the work yourself if you have a spreader. Look for products that have Merit or Imidacloprid as the active ingredient. Bayer has one and there is also a product known as Grub-X. If you are going to do it make sure you do it soon as the window is closing depending on where exactly you are located. Also make sure to water it in within 48 hours.
BTW, Merit was what was used effectively in the Asian Longhorn Beetle eradication program in Chicago and New York City metro areas. It is also being used now to prevent and treat Emerald Ash Borer infestations in place of tree removal programs.
Originally Posted By: ViragoBry
The weeds that grow here and big and ugly. If you don't control them, they tower over your yard and grow as big as saplings and really makes the yard look like trash. So, if I'm gonna control one, I'm gonna control them all. It's a lot of work, but my yard looks like a soft green carpet.
Yeah, I guess Michigan yards are a lot different than Texas yards.
And then there are places where intensive turf grass management is necessary, such as sports fields.
The weeds that grow here and big and ugly. If you don't control them, they tower over your yard and grow as big as saplings and really makes the yard look like trash. So, if I'm gonna control one, I'm gonna control them all. It's a lot of work, but my yard looks like a soft green carpet.
Yeah, I guess Michigan yards are a lot different than Texas yards.
And then there are places where intensive turf grass management is necessary, such as sports fields.
I wouldn't say that's a blanket statement. Yes, the grass/clover makeup is a bit different down here, but most people I know tolerate the spring clover/henbit/etc. Just keep it mowed so it doesn't get unsightly.
On a side note, I grew up in a town called Natchitoches-the oldest permanent settlement in the Louisiana Purchase territory. The oldest standing structure is a Spanish-era home made of cypress with walls made of a mix of mud, deer hair, and Spanish moss. The owners decided to try to replicate the way the "yard" might have been maintained prior to extensive lawn care. IMHO, I would have thought that would have meant just plain dirt. But here's how they have it looking-not the best pic, but:
On a side note, I grew up in a town called Natchitoches-the oldest permanent settlement in the Louisiana Purchase territory. The oldest standing structure is a Spanish-era home made of cypress with walls made of a mix of mud, deer hair, and Spanish moss. The owners decided to try to replicate the way the "yard" might have been maintained prior to extensive lawn care. IMHO, I would have thought that would have meant just plain dirt. But here's how they have it looking-not the best pic, but:
Just about need a brush hog to mow that lawn.
Originally Posted By: TallPaul
Best to avoid monoculture turf grass lawns. They are artificial and hard to sustain. Tons of money in fertilizer, water, and pesticides.
I thought I was the only one that believes this. I have a "Green" yard, but it doesn't look fake. There are a bunch of different grasses and plants in there.
No water, very little fertilizer (only organic AGGRAND) and no pesticides.
Best to avoid monoculture turf grass lawns. They are artificial and hard to sustain. Tons of money in fertilizer, water, and pesticides.
I thought I was the only one that believes this. I have a "Green" yard, but it doesn't look fake. There are a bunch of different grasses and plants in there.
No water, very little fertilizer (only organic AGGRAND) and no pesticides.
Originally Posted By: msparks
Originally Posted By: TallPaul
Best to avoid monoculture turf grass lawns. They are artificial and hard to sustain. Tons of money in fertilizer, water, and pesticides.
I thought I was the only one that believes this. I have a "Green" yard, but it doesn't look fake. There are a bunch of different grasses and plants in there.
No water, very little fertilizer (only organic AGGRAND) and no pesticides.
Do you know the reason behind this. Say I got an eggplant that has other types weeds or grass growing around it. You could trim it down when it gets too tall, pluck the seeds out also. The eggplant is not a natural plant in this environment but to grow it with strength it needs a coexistence among plants.
Also with grass, you may have different types but one maybe the dominant, others fighting to be dominant. In different seasons it may change.
It has something to do with the coexistence among plants. There is a society in the soil.
Originally Posted By: TallPaul
Best to avoid monoculture turf grass lawns. They are artificial and hard to sustain. Tons of money in fertilizer, water, and pesticides.
I thought I was the only one that believes this. I have a "Green" yard, but it doesn't look fake. There are a bunch of different grasses and plants in there.
No water, very little fertilizer (only organic AGGRAND) and no pesticides.
Do you know the reason behind this. Say I got an eggplant that has other types weeds or grass growing around it. You could trim it down when it gets too tall, pluck the seeds out also. The eggplant is not a natural plant in this environment but to grow it with strength it needs a coexistence among plants.
Also with grass, you may have different types but one maybe the dominant, others fighting to be dominant. In different seasons it may change.
It has something to do with the coexistence among plants. There is a society in the soil.
Originally Posted By: calvin1
What the lawn service wanted to sell you was meant to PREVENT grub damage. As others have said it would have been a Merit/Imidacloprid based granular product applied sometime in June, July or August. It is active long enough to be present as soon as the grubs become active and start feeding on your grass roots in August and September. Merit won't do anything to the insect population in general and is targeted at the subsurface grubs. You could use a general insecticide but would need to apply every 7-14 days during the peak activity season to be sure you got effective control. The only way to know if you have a grub problem is to either dig up the yard or cross your fingers and hope there aren't enough to kill off the grass in patches from feeding on the roots.
You can do the work yourself if you have a spreader. Look for products that have Merit or Imidacloprid as the active ingredient. Bayer has one and there is also a product known as Grub-X. If you are going to do it make sure you do it soon as the window is closing depending on where exactly you are located. Also make sure to water it in within 48 hours.
BTW, Merit was what was used effectively in the Asian Longhorn Beetle eradication program in Chicago and New York City metro areas. It is also being used now to prevent and treat Emerald Ash Borer infestations in place of tree removal programs.
Merit in this case is used as a preventive measure. Merit is toxic to earthworms. It may control the grubs but also weaken the structure in the soil where the earthworms plays it's role.
What the lawn service wanted to sell you was meant to PREVENT grub damage. As others have said it would have been a Merit/Imidacloprid based granular product applied sometime in June, July or August. It is active long enough to be present as soon as the grubs become active and start feeding on your grass roots in August and September. Merit won't do anything to the insect population in general and is targeted at the subsurface grubs. You could use a general insecticide but would need to apply every 7-14 days during the peak activity season to be sure you got effective control. The only way to know if you have a grub problem is to either dig up the yard or cross your fingers and hope there aren't enough to kill off the grass in patches from feeding on the roots.
You can do the work yourself if you have a spreader. Look for products that have Merit or Imidacloprid as the active ingredient. Bayer has one and there is also a product known as Grub-X. If you are going to do it make sure you do it soon as the window is closing depending on where exactly you are located. Also make sure to water it in within 48 hours.
BTW, Merit was what was used effectively in the Asian Longhorn Beetle eradication program in Chicago and New York City metro areas. It is also being used now to prevent and treat Emerald Ash Borer infestations in place of tree removal programs.
Merit in this case is used as a preventive measure. Merit is toxic to earthworms. It may control the grubs but also weaken the structure in the soil where the earthworms plays it's role.
Originally Posted By: calvin1
Merit won't do anything to the insect population in general and is targeted at the subsurface grubs.
Merit is absorbed through the roots. It translocate throughout the plant tissue, roots included. In other words any insect that feeds on the leaf tissue or roots will die. Merit stays in the soil and takes a long time to break down. Does Merit damage the soil structure in long term weakening the strength of the grass.
Merit won't do anything to the insect population in general and is targeted at the subsurface grubs.
Merit is absorbed through the roots. It translocate throughout the plant tissue, roots included. In other words any insect that feeds on the leaf tissue or roots will die. Merit stays in the soil and takes a long time to break down. Does Merit damage the soil structure in long term weakening the strength of the grass.
Originally Posted By: Mamala Bay
Originally Posted By: calvin1
Merit won't do anything to the insect population in general and is targeted at the subsurface grubs.
In other words any insect that feeds on the leaf tissue or roots will die. Merit stays in the soil and takes a long time to break down. Does Merit damage the soil structure in long term weakening the strength of the grass.
This is false; Merit is NOT a general insecticide. There is a list of what it will control and what it won't. If you have a problem with one of the controlled pests you could also use a broad spectrum insecticide like Sevin. However, in that case you would INCREASE your exposure to these materials because you will need more of those products to get the same level of control. Additionally, the recommended application rate will not achieve complete soil sterilization. The goal is to reduce the grub population to the point where it won't kill the grass, not completely eliminate them.
There is always a proper balance in using materials like these. If you put Merit on your Cheerios you will get sick. Not everyone wants or even cares about having a golf course for a front yard. For those that do there are low risk methods to reach that goal.
Feel free to use Merit or not but don't spread misinformation about it.
Originally Posted By: calvin1
Merit won't do anything to the insect population in general and is targeted at the subsurface grubs.
In other words any insect that feeds on the leaf tissue or roots will die. Merit stays in the soil and takes a long time to break down. Does Merit damage the soil structure in long term weakening the strength of the grass.
This is false; Merit is NOT a general insecticide. There is a list of what it will control and what it won't. If you have a problem with one of the controlled pests you could also use a broad spectrum insecticide like Sevin. However, in that case you would INCREASE your exposure to these materials because you will need more of those products to get the same level of control. Additionally, the recommended application rate will not achieve complete soil sterilization. The goal is to reduce the grub population to the point where it won't kill the grass, not completely eliminate them.
There is always a proper balance in using materials like these. If you put Merit on your Cheerios you will get sick. Not everyone wants or even cares about having a golf course for a front yard. For those that do there are low risk methods to reach that goal.
Feel free to use Merit or not but don't spread misinformation about it.
Merit/Imidaclprid is absolutely a systemic insecticide. The inventor (Bayer AG) describes it as such. http://www.beekeeping.org/articles/us/imidacloprid_bayer.htm
It is a neonicotinoid pesticide.
Pesticides, specifically neonicotinoid pesticides, including imidacloprid, clothianiden and thiamethoxam, poison the bee while it is in the process of collecting nectar and pollen. The poisoning may occur when the material is ingested, or it may be transported to the hive where it poisons other bees in the colony.
It is acutely toxic to earthworms, and highly toxic to honeybees.
http://www.pan-uk.org/pestnews/Actives/imidaclo.htm
Quote:
Beneficial insects
The application of imidacloprid by foliar spraying, is highly toxic to honey bees.
Imidacloprid is acutely toxic to earthworms, for example the LC50 (the lethal concentration required to kill 50% of a test population) of the species Eisenia fetida is between 2 and 4 ppm in the soil. At lower concentrations, the activity of the enzyme cellulase in the soil, that allows the break down of plant litter is reduced by imidacloprid concentrations of 0.2 ppm.
Soil application of granular imidacloprid is the most common. This is less harmful than the foliar spray because it is less likely to come into direct contact with non-target insects. However many natural enemies supplement their diet by feeding on plant material. As imidacloprid is systemic it can be translocated to the surface of the plant, increasing the chances of direct contact with insects on the plants. Laboratory tests have also shown that imidacloprid is acutely toxic to a variety of predatory insects including mirid bugs, ladybirds and lacewings19.
Concentrations:
Quote:
Other studies[citation needed] indicated that concentrations were especially high when the plant is young. These would often be of
* 10 to 20 ppb in upper leaves
* 100 to 200 ppb in other leaves
* less than 1.5 ppb in nectar
* 2 to 3 ppb in pollen
Bayer then agreed that the insecticide may cause disorientation of bees at levels above 20 parts per billion of the active ingredient. Recent studies[citation needed] by researchers at the Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique (INRA) suggest that bee behaviour is affected at levels between 3-16 ppb or possibly even 0.5 ppb.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Imidacloprid_effects_on_bee_population
Target insects:
Quote:
The biological spectrum of imidacloprid covers a broad range of target pests, such as:
sucking insects: aphids, whiteflies, leaf- and planthoppers, thrips, scales, mealy bugs, bugs, psyllids, phylloxera;
coleoptera (beetles): leaf beetles (e.g. Colorado potato beetle, rice water weevil), wireworms, grubs, flea beetles;
others: lepidopterous leafminers, some dipterous pests, termites, locusts, and fleas.
The trademarks for imidacloprid as a termiticide are Hachikusan® (Japan), Premise® (USA, Australia, Asia, world-wide). Under the trademark Advantage® it has been used commercially as a veterinary medicinal product for flea control on cats and dogs in the USA since 1996 and in Europe since 1997.
http://www.beekeeping.org/articles/us/imidacloprid_bayer.htm
Its use was banned in France due to links to bee population decline and neoniconitiod pesticides.
More on bee effects:
Quote:
Imidacloprid exhibits a high oral toxicity to honeybees. The oral lethal dose 50%
(LD50) is observed between 49 and 102 ng per bee (Nauen et al. 2001), 3.7 and 40.9 ng
per bee (Schmuck et al. 2001), 5 ng per bee (Suchail et al. 2001) or 40 and 60 ng per
bee (Suchail et al. 2001). These values correspond to a lethal food concentration ranging
between 0.1 and 1.6 mg kg–1 (Schmuck et al. 2001). The contact LD50 is about 24 ng/
bee at 24 and 48 h (Suchail et al. 2001). The sub-lethal effect of imidacloprid on bees
has not been investigated until recently. New studies have shown that the crucial
functions of bees such as foraging are affected by sub-lethal doses of imidacloprid in
the range from 1 to 20 μg kg–1 and from 0.1 to 2 ng / bee (Pham-Delegue and Cluzeau
1999; Colin and Bonmatin 2000). A dose of 0.1 ng per bee can also induce a decrease
of habituation (Guez et al. 2001).
http://www.biobees.com/library/pesticide...%20Bonmatin.pdf
Quote:
Conclusion
We developed three extraction schemes followed by LC/MS/MS method to detect
imidacloprid from field samples. These analytical methods are designed to reveal (limit
of detection of 0.1 μg kg–1) and quantify (limit of quantification of 1 μg kg–1) very low
concentrations of imidacloprid in soils, plants and pollens. To date, these methods
are the most sensitive methods available to analyse such materials according to good
laboratory practice and quality criteria from the directive 96/23/EC (Bonmatin 2002).
The long persistence, after one and two years, of imidacloprid in soils has been
demonstrated in this study. Retention of imidacloprid in soils, coupled with the ability of sunflowers to recover the insecticide during the next cultivation, clearly explains
the presence of imidacloprid in untreated plants. This situation is also observed
for maize and several weeds or adventitious plants (plants which grow in fields but
which have not been sown). For untreated wheat, rape and barley, imidacloprid is also
recovered to a lesser extent from contaminated soils (Bonmatin et al. 2000b).
Seed treatment using imidacloprid protects plants against insects and is supposed
to vanish before the arrival of pollinator insects. However, a new phenomenon has
been demonstrated. We have shown that the relative amount of imidacloprid reaches
a minimum, then increases in sunflowers from the time of the capitulum formation. As
a consequence, relatively high levels are observed during flowering in the flowering
heads. At this time, the capitulums of sunflowers contain a mean value of 8 μg kg–1 of
imidacloprid. Another study on maize indicates a similar situation. The ascent of imidacloprid
during flowering appears to be general behaviour, due to both enhanced
metabolism and the strong mobilisation of resources for plants producing large
amounts of grains such as sunflowers and maize.
Our data reveals the presence of imidacloprid in pollens with average values of
3 μg kg–1 (sunflowers and maize). Thus, imidacloprid appears to be bioavailable for
bees in fields, in a range of concentrations corresponding to that of sub-lethal effects
on bees and especially concerning the foraging activity (Colin and Bonmatin 2000;
Colin 2001). This risk situation with respect to sunflowers and maize is worsened when
considering (i) the additional toxic action of several imidacloprid metabolites (Nauen
et al. 1998; Oliveira et al. 2000) as well as (ii) the very low concentrations inducing
chronic mortality of bees which are in the 0.1–1 μg kg–1 range (Suchail et al. 2001;
Belzunces 2001).
The commercialisation and the use of Gaucho® on sunflowers have been suspended
in France since 1999 (J.O.R.F. 1999).
It is a neonicotinoid pesticide.
Pesticides, specifically neonicotinoid pesticides, including imidacloprid, clothianiden and thiamethoxam, poison the bee while it is in the process of collecting nectar and pollen. The poisoning may occur when the material is ingested, or it may be transported to the hive where it poisons other bees in the colony.
It is acutely toxic to earthworms, and highly toxic to honeybees.
http://www.pan-uk.org/pestnews/Actives/imidaclo.htm
Quote:
Beneficial insects
The application of imidacloprid by foliar spraying, is highly toxic to honey bees.
Imidacloprid is acutely toxic to earthworms, for example the LC50 (the lethal concentration required to kill 50% of a test population) of the species Eisenia fetida is between 2 and 4 ppm in the soil. At lower concentrations, the activity of the enzyme cellulase in the soil, that allows the break down of plant litter is reduced by imidacloprid concentrations of 0.2 ppm.
Soil application of granular imidacloprid is the most common. This is less harmful than the foliar spray because it is less likely to come into direct contact with non-target insects. However many natural enemies supplement their diet by feeding on plant material. As imidacloprid is systemic it can be translocated to the surface of the plant, increasing the chances of direct contact with insects on the plants. Laboratory tests have also shown that imidacloprid is acutely toxic to a variety of predatory insects including mirid bugs, ladybirds and lacewings19.
Concentrations:
Quote:
Other studies[citation needed] indicated that concentrations were especially high when the plant is young. These would often be of
* 10 to 20 ppb in upper leaves
* 100 to 200 ppb in other leaves
* less than 1.5 ppb in nectar
* 2 to 3 ppb in pollen
Bayer then agreed that the insecticide may cause disorientation of bees at levels above 20 parts per billion of the active ingredient. Recent studies[citation needed] by researchers at the Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique (INRA) suggest that bee behaviour is affected at levels between 3-16 ppb or possibly even 0.5 ppb.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Imidacloprid_effects_on_bee_population
Target insects:
Quote:
The biological spectrum of imidacloprid covers a broad range of target pests, such as:
sucking insects: aphids, whiteflies, leaf- and planthoppers, thrips, scales, mealy bugs, bugs, psyllids, phylloxera;
coleoptera (beetles): leaf beetles (e.g. Colorado potato beetle, rice water weevil), wireworms, grubs, flea beetles;
others: lepidopterous leafminers, some dipterous pests, termites, locusts, and fleas.
The trademarks for imidacloprid as a termiticide are Hachikusan® (Japan), Premise® (USA, Australia, Asia, world-wide). Under the trademark Advantage® it has been used commercially as a veterinary medicinal product for flea control on cats and dogs in the USA since 1996 and in Europe since 1997.
http://www.beekeeping.org/articles/us/imidacloprid_bayer.htm
Its use was banned in France due to links to bee population decline and neoniconitiod pesticides.
More on bee effects:
Quote:
Imidacloprid exhibits a high oral toxicity to honeybees. The oral lethal dose 50%
(LD50) is observed between 49 and 102 ng per bee (Nauen et al. 2001), 3.7 and 40.9 ng
per bee (Schmuck et al. 2001), 5 ng per bee (Suchail et al. 2001) or 40 and 60 ng per
bee (Suchail et al. 2001). These values correspond to a lethal food concentration ranging
between 0.1 and 1.6 mg kg–1 (Schmuck et al. 2001). The contact LD50 is about 24 ng/
bee at 24 and 48 h (Suchail et al. 2001). The sub-lethal effect of imidacloprid on bees
has not been investigated until recently. New studies have shown that the crucial
functions of bees such as foraging are affected by sub-lethal doses of imidacloprid in
the range from 1 to 20 μg kg–1 and from 0.1 to 2 ng / bee (Pham-Delegue and Cluzeau
1999; Colin and Bonmatin 2000). A dose of 0.1 ng per bee can also induce a decrease
of habituation (Guez et al. 2001).
http://www.biobees.com/library/pesticide...%20Bonmatin.pdf
Quote:
Conclusion
We developed three extraction schemes followed by LC/MS/MS method to detect
imidacloprid from field samples. These analytical methods are designed to reveal (limit
of detection of 0.1 μg kg–1) and quantify (limit of quantification of 1 μg kg–1) very low
concentrations of imidacloprid in soils, plants and pollens. To date, these methods
are the most sensitive methods available to analyse such materials according to good
laboratory practice and quality criteria from the directive 96/23/EC (Bonmatin 2002).
The long persistence, after one and two years, of imidacloprid in soils has been
demonstrated in this study. Retention of imidacloprid in soils, coupled with the ability of sunflowers to recover the insecticide during the next cultivation, clearly explains
the presence of imidacloprid in untreated plants. This situation is also observed
for maize and several weeds or adventitious plants (plants which grow in fields but
which have not been sown). For untreated wheat, rape and barley, imidacloprid is also
recovered to a lesser extent from contaminated soils (Bonmatin et al. 2000b).
Seed treatment using imidacloprid protects plants against insects and is supposed
to vanish before the arrival of pollinator insects. However, a new phenomenon has
been demonstrated. We have shown that the relative amount of imidacloprid reaches
a minimum, then increases in sunflowers from the time of the capitulum formation. As
a consequence, relatively high levels are observed during flowering in the flowering
heads. At this time, the capitulums of sunflowers contain a mean value of 8 μg kg–1 of
imidacloprid. Another study on maize indicates a similar situation. The ascent of imidacloprid
during flowering appears to be general behaviour, due to both enhanced
metabolism and the strong mobilisation of resources for plants producing large
amounts of grains such as sunflowers and maize.
Our data reveals the presence of imidacloprid in pollens with average values of
3 μg kg–1 (sunflowers and maize). Thus, imidacloprid appears to be bioavailable for
bees in fields, in a range of concentrations corresponding to that of sub-lethal effects
on bees and especially concerning the foraging activity (Colin and Bonmatin 2000;
Colin 2001). This risk situation with respect to sunflowers and maize is worsened when
considering (i) the additional toxic action of several imidacloprid metabolites (Nauen
et al. 1998; Oliveira et al. 2000) as well as (ii) the very low concentrations inducing
chronic mortality of bees which are in the 0.1–1 μg kg–1 range (Suchail et al. 2001;
Belzunces 2001).
The commercialisation and the use of Gaucho® on sunflowers have been suspended
in France since 1999 (J.O.R.F. 1999).
Originally Posted By: calvin1
Originally Posted By: Mamala Bay
Originally Posted By: calvin1
Merit won't do anything to the insect population in general and is targeted at the subsurface grubs.
In other words any insect that feeds on the leaf tissue or roots will die. Merit stays in the soil and takes a long time to break down. Does Merit damage the soil structure in long term weakening the strength of the grass.
This is false; Merit is NOT a general insecticide.
No Merit is not used as a contact insecticide but a systemic. A contact insecticide with direct hit(spray the liquid onto the insect) will kill a broad range of insecticide such as Sevin. Sevin may stay on the leaf surface but pretty much useless after couple of days. Sevin breaks down pretty quickly. Merit will last for a month maybe longer as a translocated systemic insecticide. In other words the whole plant itself roots, stems and leaves has been translocated into the plant. Many types of insects that feeds on them will most likely be killed.
Also I know for a fact that Merit kills earthworms. When you water the Merit into the soil, many earthworms will be killed.
Originally Posted By: Mamala Bay
Originally Posted By: calvin1
Merit won't do anything to the insect population in general and is targeted at the subsurface grubs.
In other words any insect that feeds on the leaf tissue or roots will die. Merit stays in the soil and takes a long time to break down. Does Merit damage the soil structure in long term weakening the strength of the grass.
This is false; Merit is NOT a general insecticide.
No Merit is not used as a contact insecticide but a systemic. A contact insecticide with direct hit(spray the liquid onto the insect) will kill a broad range of insecticide such as Sevin. Sevin may stay on the leaf surface but pretty much useless after couple of days. Sevin breaks down pretty quickly. Merit will last for a month maybe longer as a translocated systemic insecticide. In other words the whole plant itself roots, stems and leaves has been translocated into the plant. Many types of insects that feeds on them will most likely be killed.
Also I know for a fact that Merit kills earthworms. When you water the Merit into the soil, many earthworms will be killed.
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I wouldn't want to live on overly maggoty soil. I might think I somehow ended up in Resident Evil.
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