Vegetables Gardening - Growing Organic Vegetables

Hey Dave,
  Finger gushing is very satisfying--I do that with the green worms on my broccoli and the asparagus beetles.  But for some reason, I just can't stand to touch the Japanese beetles--they kind of creep me out.  And I like to watch them swim and drown as revenge for destroying my roses. ah, the inner viciousness of a true gardener.

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> From: earthworks111 <earthworks2@gmail.com>
>To: Organic_Gardening@yahoogroups.com
>Sent: Wednesday, July 17, 2013 1:04 PM
>Subject: [Organic_Gardening] Re: New member
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> "When I moved here, they arrived a couple of years later and then after several years, they disappear, so I think they moved slowly toward the northeast."
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>Hello again Rinda,
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>Good to hear from you.
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>From what I have read about these little critters, they first made there debut in the Princeton NJ area in the early years of the 20th century, moved NE and it has been westward ho' ever since.
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>I'm wondering if the native tachanid's in your area have gotten them under control. Glad to hear that they aren't a serious problem for you any longer.
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>As for Linda's comment about them being beautiful, I must agree. However,it is like anything that is out of balance, it can become a nightmare. Those beautiful beetles can seriously defoliate an organic vineyard in a hurry, which really cuts down on the production of sugars that the grapes need.
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>Ten years ago when I first started this vineyard project I remember reading in THE GRAPE GROWER by Lon Rombaugh that at that time the JB was mainly a problem east of the Mississippi. They hadn't reached his area in force at that time. I think he is in Oregon or Washington State. Considering Linda's comment in Socal it sounds like the leading edge of the wave has made it to the coast. I'm not a betting man but if I were I would bet that the good folks in Napa are taking this migration VERY seriously.
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>I just came in from my daily inspection of the vineyard and though I found probably 50 or so of them I would estimate at least 90% had tachanid eggs on them and were released. They stop eating immediately after the egg has hatched (within 24 hrs) and are dead within 24 hours after that. The ones that I catch without the eggs (sorry to the squeamish reader)I simply crush between thumb and forefinger. I don't have time to deal with that soap & water routine. I have far fewer fumbles & I think it is more humane as it is instant. I hope I don't gross out to many folks!
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>Well, that's about it for now, sorry for getting so wordy. If someone gets me on this subject it's hard to get me to shut up. The zeal of the organic fanatic! What can I say?
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>By4now, Peace,
>Dave in the Adirondacks
>earthworks2@gmail.com
>www.artofdaviddouglas.com
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