The Bugs, They are Here

[norfacoflandra]

Must be summer. The pests are here.

None that I didn't expect, but I really dislike Japanese beetles. Trap went out today after Gwyn got smacked by a rogue while walking. Sure enough - they're infesting the elms. So the elms got dusted with carbaryl dust which is highly effective. The trap ought to keep the rest to a minimum.

Then I confirmed what I'

Comments

[moonflake1978]

If you need irises, I will most likely need to separate mine again this fall. I wasn't aware you needed to cut down the foilage in the fall. How do I know if I have this borer thing?

Iris

[norfacoflandra]

Oh, I've got plenty of iris - I haven't lost any. Borer tends not to KILL them, just stunt them so that they never bloom, and maybe eventually kill them after a few seasons.

Google "iris borer" and you'll get some good descriptions. You're looking for leaf damage, esp. along the edges like someone has sawed away the edge, and rot at the base of the leaf where it joins the rhizome. They're about 1" long and 3/16" diameter.

The eggs are laid on the leaves by the moth, which is a night moth. It doesn't stray far away, honestly. The eggs hatch out higher on the leaf, and the worm works it's way down, growing as it goes. A partial solution is to make SURE you cut off ALL foliage in the fall and throw it away - if you compost it, you'll have eggs in the compost.