john
Sprout
Posts: 8
|
Post by john on Aug 18, 2023 16:41:03 GMT -5
I dusted some squash bugs and put them in a jar to see how well the diaomaceous dust works. A day later the bugs were alive and well.
So does it take longer than a day to kill the bugs?
|
|
|
|
Post by gardendmpls on Aug 18, 2023 18:49:16 GMT -5
Insects are protected from water loss by their cuticle, a waxy coating that prevents dehydration. Diatomatious earth is made from the glassy shells of tiny water animals. When they die and sink to the ocean bottom a layer builds up of their fossilized remains and this is mined as diatomatious earth. It works by scratching off the waxy coating as the bugs walk through it. If the diatom's glass shells have been rounded off by rolling in the ocean or by crushing after being mined, they will not scratch off enough cuticle to harm the bugs. If the bugs have a thicker than usual cuticle or don't walk through the DE in the right way, they will live on. Check to see if the DE you have is of the right grade for killing insects. If it is food grade, it might not be.
|
|
|
|
Post by pepperhead212 on Aug 18, 2023 20:55:41 GMT -5
Welcome to the forum!
I can't tell you if DE will kill squash bugs, but I can tell you something that does affect them that I use - Surround, or kaolin powder spray, which is totally safe to use, as kaolin powder is edible, and it doesn't actually kill the insects, but they don't like the "feel" of it, so it keeps a lot of them off. And it doesn't blow off and wash off as easily as DE.
|
|
john
Sprout
Posts: 8
|
Post by john on Aug 18, 2023 21:52:47 GMT -5
gardendmpls, Thanks for the information. the DE I have is food grade. Maybe that is the problem. Where can I get some DE that will kill the bugs? pepperhead212, Thanks for suggesting kaolin power spray. I think I will give it a try.
|
|
|
|
Post by pepperhead212 on Aug 18, 2023 23:00:05 GMT -5
|
|
john
Sprout
Posts: 8
|
Post by john on Aug 19, 2023 13:04:32 GMT -5
pepperhead, thanks! What I have is food grade. I think I need to get some that's rated for insects.
|
|
|
|
Post by gardendmpls on Aug 20, 2023 0:03:59 GMT -5
Did some more research. Turns out food grade may be the one you want to use if it is rated and labeled as a pesticide. DE with a higher crystalline content is dangerous when inhaled and protective equipment should be worn when applying. Follow directions. The following article explains more about DE used to control garden pests: gardenerspath.com/how-to/disease-and-pests/diatomaceous-earth/This article is about labeling, but is connected to more info: npic.orst.edu/faq/de.htmlIn reference to the original question, it might not have worked if there was rain or dew or in the case of the jar, the presence of any moisture. |
|
john
Sprout
Posts: 8
|
Post by john on Aug 23, 2023 12:50:04 GMT -5
gardendmpls, Thanks so much for the information. It was very helpful.
|
|
john
Sprout
Posts: 8
|
Post by john on Aug 26, 2023 13:00:36 GMT -5
I thought Diatomaceous earth would be good to get rid of squash bugs.
I first tried some that was labeled "Food grade". I put some squash bugs in a jar, sprinkled some DE on them and two days later they were alive and active. I also put some of this DE on ant hills and two days later the ants were still active.
So I tried some Diatomaceous earth that was advertised to kill bugs. I got the same results.
Both the DE I used had no effect on squash bugs or ants.
So, am I doing something wrong?
Anyone have a different experience with DE?
|
|
john
Sprout
Posts: 8
|
Post by john on Aug 29, 2023 13:06:31 GMT -5
I tried some food grade DE. I sprinkled some on a squash bug that I had in a jar. 24 hours later the bug was alive and well. I put some of the DE on some ant hills. It had no effect.
I then got some DE that was rated to kill bugs. I had the same results with the squash bugs and the ants.
So, does DE work on garden pests?
Anyone have a different experience?
|
|
|
|
Post by emmsmommy on Sept 7, 2023 11:58:35 GMT -5
john, I think it takes a while for DE to work. I never got around to planting squash or cucumbers this year because they have been decimated the last two years. My mom had an infestation and we used a combination of hand picking and duct tape to try and keep them under control. We probably bought the plant another two weeks but it eventually succumbed too. I believe I'll be trying the kaolin clay that pepperhead212, mentioned.
|
|
