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| Bacillus thuringiensis israelensis kills Diptera, with mosquitoes the main target; also gets others in the fly family such as midges. Bacillus thuringiensis kurstaki kills caterpillars, if they eat it before they're half-grown. Can be used on veggies even on the day of harvest. Bacillus thuringiensis san diego kills beetles of the scarab group. Main target is Japanese beetles. Lady bugs aren't affected. Worms aren't affected by any of the forms. |
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| Bt-israelensis also gets fungus gnats, the horrid biting black fly, and other gnats. It's my 'favorite' strain. ;-) The answers to your justifiable concerns are just a few mouse clicks away. These products have been used for GENERATIONS. There is an enormous amount of information about it on the internet. Just direct your research to the specific strains of Bt that Jean mentions. I'm glad you're concerned and you are right to try to collect information BEFORE using such products. Luckily, you should be able to put your mind to rest in a matter of a few moments. |
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| The "Bacillus thuringiensis" bacteriums have been available since the 1950's (not sure about generations) even though these soil dwelling bacteriums have been around forever. This article from Colorado State University might be of some help. |
Here is a link that might be useful: About Bacillus thuringiensis
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- Posted by actionclaw (My Page) on Thu, Jul 28, 11 at 22:04
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| You'll need to read labels. Bt for caterpillars is sold under a number of different product names, among them these Bt israelensis is sold as Mosquito Dunks and another I don't recall at the moment. |
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| Good grief, actionclaw! Bt products have been sold in mainstream garden centers (including the big box stores) for years! Shed your skeptical skin, and read the darned labels! If you don't feel inclined to do that, you can readily find these products on line. Also, if you spend just a tiny bit of time reading about how these naturally occurring bacterium strains effect specific species, perhaps you'll gain some confidence. It is important to mention that the efficacy of any natural Bt application is dependent upon its proper use. If you wish to control mosquitoes, Bt-I is only effective as a larvicide....it must be applied to the standing water that is the source for the mosquitoes. It doesn't effect adult mosquitoes at all. As for your 'other pests', Bt-K is only effective against YOUNG caterpillars. That's it. It must be applied to the foliage that the caterpillars are devouring. So, if your pest problems don't fall into these limited categories, you'll be supremely unhappy with the results. |
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| I find that not all garden centers carry and sell any of the "Bacillus thuringiensis" strains and many have never heard of the stuff, or as at one the owner, with a degree in horticulture, will tell you that it does not work and that is why they do not carry it. This being the same person that sold someone the Bayer All Purpose Insecticde to cure a frost problem. All of the Bt products are effective against the target insect up to certain stages in the life of that insect, knowing what to use, when is part of the Integrated Pest Management program that every gardener should be following. |
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- Posted by dan_staley 5b/SS 2b AHS 6-7 (My Page) on Fri, Jul 29, 11 at 10:57
| Bt is one of the most effective tools the organic gardener has, and with the attempt at using a Bt in a GMO crop, there were many justified fears that big ag eliminated their competitors. At any rate, not sure why the objection, unless simply analysis paralysis or too much skepticism. Dan |
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- Posted by actionclaw (My Page) on Fri, Jul 29, 11 at 13:24
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- Posted by dan_staley 5b/SS 2b AHS 6-7 (My Page) on Fri, Jul 29, 11 at 16:53
| [killfile] |
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- Posted by ronalawn82 z9FL (toulsa@verizon.net) on Sat, Jul 30, 11 at 7:16
| actionclaw, please continue to question (and find the answers) to your enquiries. Here are a few of my tenets. 1. Every chemical is designed to take care of a particular problem but its label might not indicate that. I once applied a PGR to St. Augustine grass in complete compliance with its label. The turf paled out to an unacceptable degree for my liking. I had to go all the way back to the R & D personnel to find out that the product was designed to prevent seedhead development on Bahia turf.I later applied it for that purpose and it worked like a charm. The anectodal biography of 'Round-Up' has many fascinating versions. One version has it that that the weedkiller started life as a radiator flush! 2. The label does not have all the answers. Because if it did, we would not be advised to "test on a small area". 3. Some formulations of a product can have properties which are different from what have been traditionally held. Pyrethrin has been morphed into pyrethroids which themselves have been tweaked to make them more long lasting. There is an irony here. Pyrethrin, a very short term product was touted to replace the long lasting Organo-Phosphates; now these same replacements are being tweaked to make them more long lasting. Let me emphasize that I have practiced IPM since it was IC (Integrated Control). I use chemicals. I retain a healthy respect for the research that goes into the development of chemicals and the Agencies that seek to regulate their use. My greatest concern is the end-user. I have bought and sold chemicals. I am still frightened by the pervasive unwillingness to read the label |
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| In addition to the ones listed above, BT is sold as Safer brand Caterpillar Killer. The label says it's species kurstaki, so don't expect it to kill anything else. It seems to be harder to find recently. This year Lowes did not have it under any name, but the independent garden center across the street did. It's not so odd that bacteria can be so selective in killing bugs if you think about it. One species of bacillus bordetella causes whooping cough in humans and another has no effect on humans but causes kennel cough in dogs. Yet another species causes some disease in pigs (I never had a pig, so you'll have to look it up if you're interested). |
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| "Bacillus" is a word that describes a wide range of rod shaped bacteria. It is a pretty general term with a very large and diverse list of bacteria in its column, just as Bacteria describes many very small thingys many of which we need to survive but some of which can cause disease. Bacteria can live outside the body while viruses cannot not. |
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| kimmsr...Are you positive that last statement is true? I'm pretty sure it's incorrect...cold and flu viruses can and do thrive outside the body. |
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| Not according to the Center for Disease control or the National Institute for Health. If viruses can thrive outside the body that information they supplied me that I use when teaching Bloodborne Pathogen classes has been wrong for 15 years. |
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- Posted by ronalawn82 z9FL (toulsa@verizon.net) on Tue, Aug 2, 11 at 7:05
| Are you guys conversing off the same platform? You appear to be using terms interchangeably and I am not sure that it makes for a good scientific discourse. Bacteria vs. viruses. Survive vs. thrive. An opinion only. |
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