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[LONGDISTSHTR <longdistshtr@shtc.net>]

Don Yellman wrote:
> 
> Doc:   Years ago I treated my yard with milky spore, and my good fortune
> was such that one of my neighbors did too.  Before that, I can recall
> years when the Japanese beetles just ate up things like my Concord
> grapevine.  Since then, I still have them, but at a very low level.
> Oddly enough, the first choice for the few beetles I have is the blossom
> of the calla lilly, which they will perforate.  Since the calla lilly
> will winter over here, I have them in quite a few places, and it is
> possible that they are drawing the beetles away from other activities.
> I can't really say there is a direct cause and effect relationship
> between the milky spore and the relative absence of beetles, but there
> it is for what it is worth.  That milky spore can be quite expensive
> when you are treating a large area.
>    Perhaps I shouldn't discuss beekeeping on a fruit & nut board, but I
> can tell you this: I've got the hives.  While I am pretty protective of
> the girls (I regularly rescue them by hand from the ponds), I do use
> insecticides, including Sevin, in areas where they are not working.
> Have never observed any dieback, and, for some unexplainable reason, my
> colonies are extremely healthy this summer in spite of the mites and all
> the other enemies of the bee.
>     BTW, I will probably be digging the callas this fall in areas where
> they have become too thick.  I have mostly whites and violets, and some
> yellows and oranges which seem to be less vigorous.  They propagate
> bulblets by the hundreds, and I could send you a box if you are
> interested.  Might give you a concentrated spot where you could knock
> the beetles off with Sevin.  Bees don't bother with the callas.
>     Wishing you ever greater distances,
> 
> Rgds, Don Yellman, Great Falls, VA
> 
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Thanks Don, you're a man after my heart. (rescuing the girls in the
water) I think I'll try a dab of Sevin and for sure will try the milky
spore also. Going to call John Mosko and check on the Surround also.
I gotta take you up on the Calla lily offer, will shoot you an e-mail
with my address. Distance no problem! Thanks Steve, but seems like these
beetles aren't a problem on the corn and in my neck of the woods the
grapes I have success with aren't the type I used to raise in New
Jersey. Concord, etc. The Japanese and June beetles do chomp some on the
muscadines but they have so many leaves they aren't defoliated too much
and the beetles seem to pig themselves out by the time the fruit
arrives. Raspberries don't like the heat here or something so I can't
comment on how they are damaged. I have noticed that the JBs prefer some
types of apples and plums over others. Damsons and Daytons seem to be
their preferred fare. If I can ever get in touch with those people Lon
mentioned in his post on the Spring Satin plumcot, I'll see how they do
under attack. Maybe the bees have a boom-bust cycle as Chris mentioned
and your bees are in that cycle. An old bee keeper told me: "Pounds of
bees are diweckwee pwoposhunal to pounds of honey". Didn't speak well
but I loved the ol' coot. Now I'm the old coot and he's in the next
dimension. No Sevin there, I'll bet.
Thanks for the info Stevo, didn't know there was enough land in RI to
raise corn!:) Doc Lisenby, Rt.1 Box 274-L Chesterfield, SC 29709

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