TJ, you'd have to contact the supplier to find out for sure, but my guess is that's not the strain(s) you want for nematodes. There are lots of insectaries on the internet, but you can check into some of this with the one I've linked below.

Here is a link that might be useful: Hired Bugs

You've got company! I just today bought and applied a product called ANTidote tm 3-N-1. I looked on the web and found many sources but was a little concerned about getting them shipped to me in this unseasonable hot weather we are having in Houston. I have been to Loews, Houston plant, and the umbrella place and they didn't know what I wanted. I went to Teas today and they didn't have them but dirrected me to this fertelizer store on Renwick and Bissonet, Southwest Fertilizer. They had them. The package speaks mostly of ants. I bought them anyway. They had no date and I was a little concerned since they had them in the fridge but I'm despirate! I came home and waited for the weather to cool. and followed the dirrections for the hose sprayer. It came with 2 packages and said to apply the second package in 5 to 7 days.
Since I'm on 5 acres I'm sure I'm going to have to add to this as I'm sure this was just a start.I put it in my pots too as they have thrips as well.
Anyway...........my point is that I am willing to do it again and would someone please dirrect me to the correct nematode please..... I have june bugs beetles and an incredible amount of either white flies or spider mites popping up. I NEED A MIRACLE!

I ordered my double death nematodes from the hired bug site. I hope the Antidote nematodes don't eat them. I got them sent overnight since it is hardly ever cool and damp here in TX. I will not rely on the local organic place anymore. They were aware that I wanted these for thrip protection when I plunked down my $22 and went home to spend the evening spreading them around. They keep them in the refrigerator too. I should have taken a hint when they handed them to me and I said, ''what happened to the blue sponge"?

Apparently I ordered these from Hired Bugs before because they have the blue sponge. They come in a little ice chest and have to be kept cool.

Thanks for the link, Field. I had not been able to find these nematodes. They list thrips, Japanese Beetles, and gall midge as being controlled by the double death nematodes. Do you think think they might be of use against rose midge? Thanks.
QC

Is it advertising hype or are there actual studies proving B.N. kill beetle grubs?
And how long does it take for them to be effective?
I heard years.

Before I started using BN, about every other shovel full of soil that I dug up had a grub. I rarely see them, now.
I think they are effective after about three weeks. I apply them every Spring. I have for six or seven years.
Greg

I'd be really leery about using beneficial nematodes on anything other than a soil dwelling pests, with the possible exception of wood borers. Beneficial nematodes are highly susceptible to sunlight and drying out.

One of the best, unbiased links that you'll find on the topic is this one:
http://www2.oardc.ohio-state.edu/nematodes/

Colin

Drbugman, I don't think anyone here is suggesting that nematodes can be used against any pest that doesn't have a life phase in the soil. They certainly can be used effectively against soil-borne grubs of Japanese and June beetles and against the larva of thrips. Also, properly applied and with something to eat, they will persist in a soil for several years.

However, I, too, question the use of beneficial nematodes against ants, fleas and ticks, as some have suggested in other forums.

I used the Antidote type of BN and poured some directly on a fire ant mound within a bed. There hasn't been any decrease in the size of the mound a week later. The directions said you could actually shovel the dirt from a killed off mound to a new mound and let the Bn's continue there. I am not depending on BNs for ant control, hope the new batch does a better job with thrips.

I have the proper names on the Double Death pack for the predatory nematodes:

Steinernematid and Heterorhabditadid

tj

I have been nuturing my ben nems for about 3 months and do seem to notice fewer fire ants actually in the yard. I see them trailing along the fence line sometimes. With the hot, dry season upon us, hopefully I can keep them moist enough to survive. Applied them also for grubs that have attacked my Zoysia the last 2 years. I will see in the fall if they have proven BENEFICIAL. ;~)>-----

ANTidoteTM is the right type of BN to attack thrips...as long as they are in larvae stage any BN will kill them. The focus of the ANTidoteTM product has always been fleas, fire ants, and white grubs..but they kill so much more! ANTidoteTM must be kept in the fridge to keep the nematodes alive until they are placed into your soil, so nothing weird about that.

This seems to be a very helpful link about which nematodes to use for which stages of which insects (http://www.arbico-organics.com/category/nematode-selection-chart). I, too, bought ANTIdote, from Sledd Nursery (a neighborhood nursery in Austin, TX), and they seemed very knowledgable about nematodes. I bought mine for fleas. There are said to be 75 million of them in the container, which is supposed to cover 1 acre! My yard is about 65' X 65,' so I think the fleas will be done for when I apply it. Also, another site said NOT to use chlorinated water to activate them (which makes sense - they're so tiny). I've now caught rainwater, and will use that to get them going (yay, rain!).

I need to check if this would work for chiggers. My DH is allergic to them (and fleas) and won't even step on grass.

VV, I have the same problem as your DH. I've been using the ones from Arbico and now that I think about, have noticed way less problems. I'm not sure if they mentioned chiggers specifically but maybe there's some sort of crossover effect?

Please report back what you find!

Do chiggers (the most hateful insect on the entire planet!) have a larval stage? If so, I'll bet the nematodes will eat them. Better check it out, though; I'll be watching, too.

Wow !!

A post and Gardenweb thread with Field Roebuck in it from 14 years ago. His book in 2007 is the best Organic Rose growing book. The complete guide to growing roses. And the 2003 book is good too. Foolproof guide to growing roses. I wonder if the BN works.

He was great. Field Roebuck.

I've never tried roses. As to the nematodes, I asked my husband ~ How do we know we're actually getting anything for this $35?" (They're microscopic, so you can't see them...! What a racket!) I still have faith they're in there, though. We do have lots of grubs, too, but no grass so I don't care much. I'll be able to tell if they've worked if I turn over a couple of spades of soil and there's no grubs!

judy, roses aren't hard at all and very satisfying. Everyone his is so helpful to newbies, so ask away. I sort of becomes an obsession. : )

VV - a surefire way to get rid of chiggers is to scatter pelletized sulfur where he walks or thinly all over the yard. They vanish like magic. After a hard rain, must re-do it.

Terryisthinking, does the sulfur run into your roses after a rain and if so, any issues? How does the grass look where you put it?

Thanks for the idea! It seems like acidic soil loving plants would love this also.

Thank you, terry! I've never heard of pelletized sulfur, so I'll have to investigate that. We both wash with sulfur soap, leaving it on a couple of minutes before rinsing and that really helps. However, a bite for me is just annoying, for him it's He@@, especially with psoriasis. Uggh. does th esulphur kill them or just drive them away, I wonder.

LL, I would think the sulphur would help with BS if anything, since it's used for that. I love this forum.

I love this forum too but haven't quite figured out how to navigate it yet! I clicked "bookmark" on some interesting posts and have never seen them since. No little kids around to help the old folks with computers, LOL!

Also, what does clicking on "follow" get you? I clicked on a couple of friendly faces for a few days but it didn't seem to serve any purpose.

I don't know about follow, but my bookmarks show up when I click on my name. I think you follow me, but don't know what that will get you. : ) I'm going to follow you and see what happens. Ooops! I don't know how to do that.

Clicked on my name but still don't see bookmarks. I'll click "follow" again for you though, thanks!

How did I follow you to begin with, LOL! Young people out there, please stop rolling eyes!

• I'm old, but I know computers. "Follow" means that every time that person posts anything on this site, you get an email with a link to see it.
• Bookmarks: When you bookmark a thread (this conversation) it tells you "Successfully added to bookmarks. You can see all your bookmarks in Your Houzz." So...unlike regular bookmarks that you see on your computer's toolbar, these appear on this web site in "Your Houzz." Boom!
• "Your HOUZZ" is in the far right upper corner of this page!
• (2nd edit) - You have to click on your PROFILE, at Your HOUZZ, then click on the bookmarks tab at the top and scroll down to find the bookmark you want. (boom)

Thank you Judy, finally found the bookmarks!

But for those of you who are "following" tons of people, how do you not have a million E-mails every day? I get dozens a day already on threads that I have ever "liked" or posted on, whether it was recently or ages ago. So I can barely keep up with myself, LOL!

So sorry, terryisthinking, to derail your thread. I've had great results with BN over the years.

There must be a way to unfollow them. I'll see and get back to you.

Hmmm... I can't find a button for "follow"

I'm not officially "following" anybody at the moment or at least I don't think I am, LOL!

My profile says following "0",

Maybe when you "like" a comment, it follows that person? I don't know...

I think that must be it. Thank you SO much for all of your help!

LL, I get notices only on posts I've commented on which is why I often just "like" instead of commenting. : )There is something one turns on to do that. Funny, but I don't get any noticfications with threads I've actually started!!! I still don't know how to follow someone's posts. I'd love to follow Chris from Newflora's posts.

This is an amazing thread. Few post in 2003/4, than a single post after 7 years in 2011 and then another break of 6 years. Wow.

A very interesting subject though. I am following..

I wondered why I'm getting a lot of messages on a 13 year old post. Has Gardenweb been absorbed by Houzz? Wassup? I'm in north TX and had 200 antique roses at one time, but I aged out of that much work. I still have a few left that are especially tenacious.

VV, I must be commenting too much, LOL!

Since you qualified as a friendly face, I "followed" you for a few days and didn't notice any difference in notifications. If I'm reading the page right, since you are "following" 25 people, should I have gotten you and all of your "friends" too, right? Or just you? Not sure I got either. And I would love to follow Chris to get Kordes news too!

Some people have "follow" after you click on their names and some don't. Is that because they don't want to be followed? Do we have a choice???

I don't know why I am following so many people. It might be posts I've "liked" or may e bookmarked. I don't remember "allowing" following when I joined, but it's all good. : )

LOL, thanks for helping me figure it out! Please let me know if you find Chris!

https://youtu.be/18HriHYr53A

Video from Mark in New Jersey about soil food web and ordering beneficial nematodes on amazon.com here he ordered and received and opened it up and look at the nematodes under the microscope.

Thank you for the video. In my case, I live in a small apartment with only a couple of long flower beds for a "yard." The rest is parking area and flagstone patio.

Your welcome. I subscribed to Mark on YouTube so I get Email notices when he posts a new Soil food web video.