You found one. It is not the end of the world. Just kill what you find and do a good fall and spring clean up to prevent most from next year.

Mike G

I found THREE. And I'm not finished digging....would Merit be of any benefit now, Mike? I plan to soak all of these rhizomes in 10% bleach solution for 24 hours. Is that enough to get rid of them before I replant?

I had no idea they were this big...I thought they were like the white grubs under the grass that we're trying to get rid of (japanese beetles).

Thanks, Mike.

Westy

Merit does not work after the go into the rhizome. Take a wire bread wrapper tie or a small wireand make a small hook on the end. Poke this into the hole in the rhizome an pull it out. Put them into a small can or cup. Pout hot water in and they will die.

Mike G

Great idea for the tool! I was pulling them out with one tine of my hand fork and it was a little too big. I hate these dang things....almost done digging....and then I'll replant. Oh, and I've been dumping them into the container of soapy water that the japanese beetles get dumped into and they drowned. Hot water - great idea!

Thanks much,
Westy

I throw them onto the driveway and the birds think I'm Julia Child serving dinner.

Is it a big year for these things? I have them when I never did before. Or maybe I have enough now that I've finally noticed them.

Iris borers are big problem for us in the Midwest and East Coast. I have definitely found much more than three of them doing my dividing this year.

Interestingly enough, I noticed that the plants that were affected by the Iris borer were growing in a spot that well-drained soil. I do have many Iris growing in poor, clay-type soil and they were not affected. I also noticed that the Irises I had growing with mulch cover were also not affected by the dreaded Iris borer.

Some interesting methods on how to destroy Iris borers...I'll have to try the hot water one, never thought about that. Although my personal favorite is to simply take my scissors and go SNIP...nothing like watching that yellow goo come out!

Carlos

I just dig the whole plant up any completely submerge them in soapy ( dish detergent and vinegar )water and drown them . They can get as big as your finger and they can bite . The cream with a pink or tan back makes the camouflage with the root so drown every speck of roots you have . They can hide in the tiniest piece .SOAK THEM FOR 24 HOURS, Then I dump the water in the old bed afterward.

ofionnachta, that's the funniest thing I ever heard....and a good idea. I don't think I could wait long enough for a bird to come along though! And I didn't know they could bite! Well they've all been soaked in bleach solution and I'm about to replant and give some away. So many haven't got much of the fans left but I see tiny buds - I'm sure these will just not bloom next year but the second year I hope! NEVER again will I let this happen!!! Thank god they are planted shallow. And I think this WAS a bad year for them...maybe the weather had something to do with it? I've never seen them before but when more than half didn't bloom this year....I got suspicious.

Westy