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Title: bees and gardening
Post by: javah on March 24, 2011, 04:31:34 PM

are their any pesticides that can be used on a garden that will not harm the bees.

Thanks for any help

Title: Re: bees and gardening
Post by: hardwood on March 24, 2011, 04:54:24 PM

Bacillus thurengiensis (BT) for chewing insects such as caterpillars and some organic sprays if applied at night.

Scott

Title: Re: bees and gardening
Post by: Kathyp on March 24, 2011, 06:18:41 PM

the bees will only be interested in things that are flowering, so spraying before or after bloom is usually safe BUT if you use any kind of powder insecticide they may go after it and take it back to the hive.

what are you trying to kill? maybe we can give you some safe ideas.

Title: Re: bees and gardening
Post by: BlueBee on March 24, 2011, 06:24:28 PM

I've discovered to my horror that Wasps love to eat caterpillars. Sometimes they munch the caterpillars right on a leaf, sometime they take them back to their nest for their brood to eat. I assume those caterpillars are source of protein. Spiders also get a lot of caterpillars.

How do I know this? I raise Silk Moths and keeping the wasps out is a major problem. I haven't had a problem with the small "parasitic wasps" that lay eggs in caterpillars; I'm talking about the big wasps.

I haven't noticed the yellow jackets eating too many caterpillars but the other wasps do. So there are some options for you; raise spiders and wasps!!!

Title: Re: bees and gardening
Post by: KD4MOJ on March 25, 2011, 08:21:44 AM

Quote from: BlueBee on March 24, 2011, 06:24:28 PM
I raise Silk Moths

Haven't heard that before... what do you raise them for? Inquiring minds wanna know! :-D

...DOUG
KD4MOJ

Title: Re: bees and gardening
Post by: Tommyt on March 25, 2011, 09:50:18 AM

Quote from: KD4MOJ on March 25, 2011, 08:21:44 AM
Quote from: BlueBee on March 24, 2011, 06:24:28 PM
I raise Silk Moths

Haven't heard that before... what do you raise them for? Inquiring minds wanna know! :-D

...DOUG
KD4MOJ

+1?

Title: Re: bees and gardening
Post by: BlueBee on March 25, 2011, 05:10:55 PM

Silk for my cloths ;)

Actually just another hobby.

(http://i1082.photobucket.com/albums/j365/MichiganBee/Moths%202010/Cecropia12010.jpg)

A few more photos here:
http://s1082.photobucket.com/albums/j365/MichiganBee/Moths%202010/ (http://s1082.photobucket.com/albums/j365/MichiganBee/Moths%202010/)

Title: Re: bees and gardening
Post by: Vance G on March 25, 2011, 11:01:50 PM

WOW I had forgotten how beautiful they are! I move to a state where I have never seen them! put wasp traps up first thing in the spring and you catch the queen mothers and really raise cain with the local population of wasps and hornets

Title: Re: bees and gardening
Post by: javah on March 28, 2011, 09:34:11 PM

Thanks for the help

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BEEKEEPING LEARNING CENTER => GENERAL BEEKEEPING - MAIN POSTING FORUM. => Topic started by: javah on March 24, 2011, 04:31:34 PM