bonsai body guards

[Andrew F]

Hi here's a stick insect, well I think it's a stick insect & it look's like a stick & it's an insect I think, but he was all over this tree & wasn't eaten any leaf's that I could see, but he dose look very cute don't you think.

Regard's The Hacker

The Bug Catcher.jpg

Iv had goliath stick insects, praying mantis, a few red backs, blue tongues ect The ones that are permanent are Jumping spiders and Lady beetles, so theres no sign of mites or aphids on any of my trees. Now to find a natural enemy of the scale and ant invasion.

[zubin]

My soldier on the lookout and ready for action......the six legged kind!

[simonvallone]

What are you suggesting, that we don't run for the Confidor as often as the wind changes? How are we going to treat bugs that aren't even there? By proper diagnosis (if there is such a thing )? That's outrageous, totally un-bonsai and frankly sir, just a bit bloody frightening!

Cheers,
Mojo

LOLLLL this is true but trust me same can be done with praying mantis's as soon as you think you see a bug or believe there are bugs u will just put him there and just watch him lol and then think come on man theres a bug there eat him! when really its not, all the time his looking at you thinking "what the hell man its cold out here put me back inside!"

[simonvallone]

My bonsai usually attracts a couple of these guys over the summer, here's one I found last weekend ...

thats actually funny he looks like a giant walking ontop of tree canopies lol

[Mojo Moyogi]

What are you suggesting, that we don't run for the Confidor as often as the wind changes? How are we going to treat bugs that aren't even there? By proper diagnosis (if there is such a thing )? That's outrageous, totally un-bonsai and frankly sir, just a bit bloody frightening!

Cheers,
Mojo

LOLLLL this is true but trust me same can be done with praying mantis's as soon as you think you see a bug or believe there are bugs u will just put him there and just watch him lol and then think come on man theres a bug there eat him! when really its not, all the time his looking at you thinking "what the hell man its cold out here put me back inside!"

I was actually taking a swipe at the expense of the "shoot first ask questions later" mentality that I see applied by a lot of bonsai growers, horticulturalists and farmers when it comes to pest control. I personally havent used any chemical pest control in pretty close to 10 years. I prefer to rely on preditory insects, birdlife, organic sprays and good cultural practices. From time to time, I do see some minor damage on what is mostly sacrificial growth, I prepared to wear that, it doesn't last for long and in return I get stronger trees with heathy soil loaded with microorganisms and no fungal problems.

What you are doing with Praying Mantis is great, I hope that your story encourages others to do things a little cleaner if their time permits.

Cheers,
Mojo

[GavinG]

Mojo, is there a good natural solution to the problem of woolly aphids on crab apples? I don't want to use Confidor, but I don't know an alternative.

Gavin

[simonvallone]

Mojo, is there a good natural solution to the problem of woolly aphids on crab apples? I don't want to use Confidor, but I don't know an alternative.

Gavin

Yes what this post has been about lol get some praying mantis they will eat them all

[Mojo Moyogi]

Hi Gavin,
Praying Mantis, Ladybugs and small birds are great at stopping infestations before they happen, an insecticidal soap such as Yates Natasoap will work well on most soft bodied insect pests including wooly aphids and also red spider/ 2 spotted mite. Google "wooly aphid organic control" there is heaps of preventative measures and remedies that don't involve chemicals.

It's important to remember to get good spray coverage including the undersides of leaves and to reapply 7-10 days later. Success at being chemical free in the garden requires on you catching the prooblem before infestations get out of control and pest numbers become high.

Cheers,
Mojo

[Andrew F]

I was actually taking a swipe at the expense of the "shoot first ask questions later" mentality that I see applied by a lot of bonsai growers, horticulturalists and farmers when it comes to pest control. I personally havent used any chemical pest control in pretty close to 10 years. I prefer to rely on preditory insects, birdlife, organic sprays and good cultural practices. From time to time, I do see some minor damage on what is mostly sacrificial growth, I prepared to wear that, it doesn't last for long and in return I get stronger trees with heathy soil loaded with microorganisms and no fungal problems.

What you are doing with Praying Mantis is great, I hope that your story encourages others to do things a little cleaner if their time permits.

Cheers,
Mojo

Here here.

[Luke308]

I found a baby praying mantis in my car today He was only about 3cm long. I think he must have been on one of the trees I took to the workshop Tuesday night and had been living in my car ever since. I caught him and released him amongst my grow benches when I got home


Can you buy praying mantis's as pets? If so where from and how much??

[Booga]

I think we should try to collect as many carnivorous insects that we can and add them to our trees as body guards.
Who cares if they spin webs or build tree houses.
One of my pics I would like to share just for the sake of it.

014.jpg

[simonvallone]

Yes you can buy them as pets the living jungle on Ballarat toad sells them as well as other kinds of bugs I think they are like $3 each enclosure is the most expensive thing but u can build one yourself its cheaper and u can make it big enough to house a few and place ur bonsais in it over night or for a few days if u have a large infestation. They breed relatively quick and a lot so they end up eating each other so make sure to feed them a lot if not just release them. Careful as they do have small wings and can jump large distances like grass hoppers

[GavinG]

Thanks Mojo, will do.

Gavin

[shibui]

Gavin,
As well as living on the stems, wooly aphid often live on the roots where the spray cannot affect them. If they keep reappearing after spraying with the soap you might need to bare root the trees and soak the roots in the spray mixture. Has anyone tried soaking the entire pot in Natrasoap to get rid of subsoil infestation?

[Andrew F]

Can you buy praying mantis's as pets? If so where from and how much??

This forum: http://www.inverts.com.au/