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Any Milky Spore users?
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Posted by natureperson 5b (My Page) on Tue, Jul 5, 05 at 17:09
| I've never tried this but since I have gone organic this year, I'm wondering if this product works for grubs. What has been your experience with it?
Also, does it do anything for cutwork or webworm? If not, do you know what does?
Thank you. My lawn is looking pretty awful right now.
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RE: Any Milky Spore users?
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I used Milky Spore a few years ago and thought it did a great job. Applied it the second year as well but since then have gone with a different product, only because I'm too cheap. I have seen a few grubs while digging this year but nothing like what I had originally.
Can't answer about the cutworm or webworms.
Lynda |
RE: Any Milky Spore users?
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I'm using MS for the third year on a row and don't remember seeing any grabs lately.
My primary reason for using it, though wasn't grabs, but Japanese beetles.
I can't say they are eliminated completely, but substantial reduction in quantities year over the year is very noticeable.
One teaspoon around every dormant Hibiscus did a wonder.
While I could still find some JBs on roses, I'm very happy with results MS brought to my garden. |
RE: Any Milky Spore users?
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| Although MS is expensive for my large yard, I think it sounds like the answer for me. I've only seen one JB so far this season, but I think it's just the beginning so more will be around soon enough I'm sure. From what I've read, MS can be applied in spring, summer and fall, so it's not too late. EGO45, do you apply it 3 times a year? I can't imagine doing it that often on my yard because it would cost me a fortune. |
RE: Any Milky Spore users?
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| I think that the product is supposed to be long lasting. I applied it a couple years ago and see a substantial reduction in the JB population. Cheers! Abbie |
RE: Any Milky Spore users?
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Milky spore is a bacteria which infects the grubs in the soil. It lives and reproduces in the grubs themselves. It prevents the grubs from reaching adulthood and reproducing. It should only have to be applied once. As long as you have a few grubs in the soil, the bacteria should grow and continue to infect the soil and any Japanese beetle grubs in your soil. If you use chemicals and manage to kill off all of your grubs, the host for the milky spore will be gone, and it will no longer work. (you have to have a certain number of grubs in your soil to maintain the bacteria in your) I applied milky spore over 7 years ago and see very few beetles, and the number of grubs in my yard have decreased dramatically.
It does not work for every kind of beetle, and I think it does not work for cutworms. I believe that there may be a kind of benificial nematode that could help you with other kinds of pests, but I don't know enough about the subject. |
RE: Any Milky Spore users?
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| Thanks for your help everyone. I'll start the MS this fall and continue it next year. |
RE: Any Milky Spore users?
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| natureperson, you should only need to apply it once. It will keep re-applying itself, so to speak, as every grub it kills releases thousands more bacteria (bt). Found a good web page about white grubs in lawns: > Milky disease.. can infect European chafer, Japanese, and oriental beetle grubs. Beneficial nematodes, microscopic roundworms, can be watered in to the soil where they enter white grubs. Once inside the grub, the nematodes release a bacterium that actually kills the grub. These nematodes can be very effective but have limited availability, may not ship well and have a limited shelf life. Because they are living organisms that dry out quickly and die if exposed to sunlight, they need to be applied on cloudy, calm days; or in the early morning; or evening; or in the rain. September, when soils are warm, is the best time to apply these nematodes. Gardens Alive sells nematodes, I've found sources for them on line too. |
Here is a link that might be useful: CT Agricultural Experiment Station
RE: Any Milky Spore users?
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| Very helpful info, thanks! I have a dumb question, what are the beetles that look like Japanese beetles, only brown and less irridescent? My yard is loaded with them. Can I spray the trees with soap/oil and get rid of them now? (The next door neighbor and I are planning to do milky spore in the fall.) |
RE: Any Milky Spore users?
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I apply MS once a year in early-mid Spring. It has to be watered by any means, irrigation, rain or by hands, otherwise it will dry and had no chance to enter the soil and find the host/victim.
I have a fairly large garden, but two cans of MS almost enough to cover most of it. Yes, it's expensive, but deliver great value for the money.
For more info visit St. Gabriel lab FAQ page |
Here is a link that might be useful: Milky Spore FAQ
RE: Any Milky Spore users?
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| Sienna, those brown things are Oriental beetles and they do almost as much damage as JBs. I do Beneficial nematodes and MS but frankly, the orientals don't seem to be phased. JBs are pretty much under control. Pyolas a direct hit seems tokill the O beetles but they keep coming back every year. /Abi |
RE: Any Milky Spore users?
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| Thanks a lot, all! You guys are great! |
RE: Any Milky Spore users?
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| Hello, My understanding of MS is that it will kill the grub population in the ground but that doesn't mean Japanese Beetles will not fly in from outside *your* yard area. Apparently JB can fly up to 5 miles away from where they came out of the ground but typically only fly 1 or 2 miles away. So it looks like MS will help your grub population for your lawn's sake but won't necessarily help with keeping adult JB from migrating in to feast on your roses, etc. Michelle |
RE: Any Milky Spore users?
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Michelle, yes, you are correct, JB could and will fly to your yard, but at least you'll be dealing only with 'aliens', not 'aliens' + 'domestic JB'.
Again, since I start using MS, reduction in JB to fight (I still have to use Sevin) is substantial. |
RE: Any Milky Spore users?
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| Milky spore is effective only against JBs, not Oriental beetles or Asiatic garden beetles. All 3 are scarab beetles and are "white grubs" during their in-soil phase. As far as adult JBs flying in, I found this interesting tidbit on the NCSU site: http://www.cropsci.ncsu.edu/turffiles/ag366/ag366.html >When milky spore disease becomes established, it will spread naturally to adjoining, untreated areas. The link below discusses beneficial nematodes, which attack all the scarab beetles. There is a list of suppliers on the page, too. I believe they need to be applied when the grubs are in the soil, not now while they're in the beetle stage.
I've used them for black vine weevils under rhodies - that's a little easier because you have to keep them out of direct sunlight until they've penetrated the soil. |
Here is a link that might be useful: Nematodes, Cornell
RE: Any Milky Spore users?
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| when should the nematodes be used? |
RE: Any Milky Spore users?
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| I'm not sure, but one of the suppliers I've been in contact with in the past was very helpful. You could check with Gardens Alive or with this more specialized outfit. Gardens Alive just sells one variety, these guys have many, different ones for different pests. I emailed them when I was looking for nematodes to treat black vine weevil, not white grubs. |
Here is a link that might be useful: Rincon-Vitova Insectaries
RE: Any Milky Spore users?
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| Just a quick note that it's CHEAPER at Whole Foods! 10 oz for $12.99 -- half the price -- or even 1/3 of the price at other stores! |
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