I have some patches of grub worms in my lawn and was going to apply nematodes this fall.

I was checking out the weather predictions for next week here in Fort Worth and weather.com is showing a range of 69/89 next with clouds and rain.

I read where the ideal range is 60/80, but was wondering if 69/89 would be too hot. I was going to apply them on Sunday night since the cooler periods appear to be Monday through Friday.

Any advice/help would be appreciated.

I'd like to hear answers on this one.

How do toads help with worms?

The toads pee on the worms giving them warts. The worms become so embarassed that they move out of the neighborhood.

Beneficial nematodes are great. Not only do they control grubs, but also fire ants, termites and about any other ground dwelling pest. They do like moist ground, but that is taken care of if you water your lawn. You normally have to reapply them once a year
http://www.dirtdoctor.com/view_question.php?id=37

[This message has been edited by str8shot1000 (edited 9/13/2006 2:36p).]

I've used ladybugs but that's the extent of my experience using bugs to control bugs. Can't help you with todes.

http://www.suburbanhabitat.com/pd_beneficial-nematodes.php?gclid=CIqx9enVq4cCFQ0hUAodA1NK5w

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This is a partial list of the more common species "Double-Death" Predator Nematodes are known to control:



Beetles:
Banded Cucumber Beetle, Bark Beetle, Click Beetle, Colorado Potato Beetle, Checkered Beetle, Flea Beetle, Japanese Beetle, June Beetle, Leaf Beetle, Mexican Bean Beetle, Pine Beetle, Powder Post Beetle, Scarab Beetle, Southern Pine Beetle, White Fringed Beetle


Borers:
European Corn Borer, Onion Borer, Round Headed Borer, Wood Borer


Crickets:
Field Cricket, Morman Cricket


Flies:
Black Fly, Crane Fly, Fruit Fly, Saw Fly



Moths:
Carpenter Moth, Codling Moth, Gypsy Moth, Meal Moth, Oriental Fruit Moth, Pine Tip Moth, Winter Moth



Weevils:
Banana Root Weevil, Boll Weevil, Cane Weevil, Corn Root Weevil, Pecan Weevil, Pine Weevil, Rice Weevil, Strawberry Root Weevil


Worms:
Army Worms, Cabbage Worm, Corn Earworms, Cutworms, Fall Army Worm, Hornworm, Meal Worm, Measuring Worm (Loopers), Melon Worm, Pink Bollworm, Potato Tubeworm, Sod Webworm, Southern Rootworm, Spruce Budworm, Tobacco Budworm, Tobacco Hornworm, Webworms, Wireworms


Miscellaneous:
Algae Gnats, Apple Leaf Roller, Assassin Bugs, Bean Leaf Roller, Billbugs, Cabbage Aphid, Cabbage Looper, Chinch Bugs, Cotton Stainer, Fungus Gnats, Gall Midges, Gall Gnats, German Cockroaches, Grasshoppers, Imported Fire Ants, Lacewings, Leaf Skeletonizer, Leather Jackets, Pear Aphids, Red Bugs, Seed Corn Maggot, Squash Bugs, Sting Bugs, Termite, Thrips, White Grubs, Yellow Fever Mosquito

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Nematodes appear to be a snakeoil cure-all for every bug that ails ya. I admit I have little experience with them, but if they are that good, why doesn't everybody use them?

Just a hunch, but I'm betting they're good in spots, but for a serious problem you might resort to good old fashioned chemicals.

Weed control: Diesel.
Fire ant mound control: Diesel + Match.
Other bugs: Dursban/Diazanon left over from the good ol' days.

Whaddaya think, Ask the Agronomist*?

I honestly haven't used 'em. From what my soil micro prof always tolds us (Dr. Zuberer), if you took everything off the planet but nematodes, you would still be able to make out where all living creatures had been, simply by the vast numbers! I suspect that adding nematodes to a reasonably healthy lawn is like pissing in the ocean to raise the level.

Apache - I wonder the same on why more people don't say much about them.

It's $20 for enough to do my yard so I figure what the hell.

I've got a couple of obvious spots I'll know if they did anything.

I don't know if they work everytime or everywhere you use them, but I used them this year and I think I had one fire ant mound to take care of and my dog had no fleas and ticks. I usually have to treat several mounds and the dog gets dipped once or twice a season. I think it's definitely worth a try. If they take and hold in your yard, you will see results. If not, you're out about $20. After you put them out though, you can't put out any pesticides as it will likely kill them.

Agree to use them. I don't have ants, fleas or ticks. I haven't used flea control of any kind in the 6 years I've used nematodes.

You wanna know why you don't hear more of them? Dow doesn't make money marketing non-chemical solutions.

Trust me, I'm not some tree hugging hippy. About as right wing as you can get. But all natural works. I follow www.dirtdoctor.com and people constantly ask me what to use on their lawn to make it look like mine.

I can't argue with success ...... perhaps I'll give them a try for the fire ants. As you all know by now, I use about 3/4 organic stuff on my lawn, and it looks great! I too, was a "Doubting Thomas" once.

quote:

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You wanna know why you don't hear more of them? Dow doesn't make money marketing non-chemical solutions.

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Exactly right....