Monster Cranefly

[martini]

Has anybody else had trouble with cranefly? Can't got out of the back door without being attached Some of them are real monsters. After reading up, I've discovered that what I thought were something called chafer grubs in my soil are actually leatherjackets. Since I plan to tear up my lawn in the next couple of weeks and use the turves for composting I assume it'll be full of leatherjackets. have ordered some nematodes to kill them off - has anyone else tried them?

[sewer rat]

Haven't tried nematodes,but this year has been a fantastic (for them that is) year for leatherjackets - you only have to look at the cut silage and hay fields covered with rooks and crows to realise that.

[dexterdoglancashire]

hi martini - no havent tried nematodes - not sure how to cook them!!! But seriously, no probs with craneflies ect here in Lostock Hall - do you live near a stream/water that could perhaps be the cause? Dexterdog

[martini]

Hi Dexter - can't think of any streams nearby but parts of the garden have got a bit waterlogged recently (all that clay!) so it could be that. Anyway, the lawns now dead thanks to glyphosate but I'll put the nematodes in just in case all the craneflies have laid their eggs on it!. Hasn't it been gorgeous this afternoon - almost got a tan digging out the borders - the back's (mine) nearly gone though

[dexterdoglancashire]

Hi Martini - yes lovely weather although I work in a building with no windows
so dont get to see anything! hoping to spend some time in the plot on sunday -off to Skipton for the day tomorrow! dexterdog

[Snadger]

Hi, Just curious, what do the nematodes look like? Do you just scatter them on the surface. Are they expensive? How do you scatter them ie handful to X amount of square yards or what? Where do you buy them? Do they kill the pupae?

Sorry about all the questions!

[martini]

Hi Snadger - I ordered them from Green Gardener (www.greengardener.co.uk) - they've got a really useful website, especially for pests and disorders - pictures to identify things etc. According to them, the nematodes [I don't know what they look like - I'm assuming they're some sort of micro-organism mixed in powder so too small to see) should be mixed with water and applied - the soil has to be moist first and you do it on a dull day. After you've applied them you have to water again to make sure they are washed in - they kill the leatherjackets from the inside out - pictures are pretty gruesome It doesn't say anything about the pupae stage but I hope they kill them too - I'm getting a pack which treats 125 sq yds for �19.95. It seem expensive but I don't want the run the risk of ending up completely demoralised next year when my first crop keels over! They've not arrived yet but I'll let you know if they work - hope to find loads of dead leatherjackets.

[Bugeyes]

Hi there. The nematodes are microscopic worms that once rehydrated swim to locate insect larvae that give off carbon dioxide. Pupae have ways of reducing CO2 and are usually undetected. If you get your nematodes on now you will be targeting the smallest larvae as they hatch from eggs and they are the most susceptible so go for it!

[yoanbob]

i use the same place for slug nematoids and find them very good, with the slug ones you have to keep the soil damp for two weeks after application, which was deficult earlier in the year, but it worked a treat, and the infected slugs were still safe to feed to the chooks and ducks,
you can get them to send you an email to remind you when the next application will be due should you need one, and they wont send them at all if its wrong time of year, so it should work, go for it.

[martini]

Thanks Bugeyes - I'm hoping they'll arrive in the post tomorrow and will get them on straight away.