2:23 pm

November 10, 2010

My bittergourd plants start out well but within a couple of weeks they are attacked by yellow hairy citters which later turn into "lady-bugs" type insect ( which I'm told are good insects in a garden....but they are bad for my Karela). I have pictures of them but do not know how to post this on the forum so that some one can help me.
I'm willing to send these picture by e-mail to anyone who can help me. I'm desperate !!!
2:29 pm
May 1, 2010

10:37 am

November 10, 2010

As suggested I have uploaded the pictures on Flickr. The links are pasted below
http://www.flickr.com/photos/p.....160438723/
Thanks
Malathi
11:09 am

November 10, 2010

When I was trying to post some pictures of the bugs on Flickr , I discovered that these are not ladybird ( the good guys ) but a Mexican bean beetle that , I understand , is quite a difficult pest to eradicate. Interested people may see link " http://entomology.ifas.ufl.edu.....etle.htm " for more details .
Hope fully I will be able to find some way of irradicating them without using pesticides.
Malathi
1:38 pm
May 1, 2010

Nice job.One method that reduces the population of these insects is Handpicking. Scan the underside of all the leaves for eggs. I have saved so many of my plants from caterpillas by picking 1000s and 1000s of eggs. Burn the eggs. If you throw them elsewhere they will come to your garden since they can fly.
7:07 pm

June 26, 2011

Hai malathi the best way is hand picking.
Another method(1)Take bulk of neem leaves,
make it to paste.Add 30 gms of paste to.970ml
of water&spray foliarly.(2)Take 100gms of cow
dung mix to1 liter of water stir it well,filter it &
spray it will do best.thanks.Happy organic gardening
1 Guest(s)
