in particular it is most likely a flea beetle or leaf beetle of some sort (they jump like fleas), maybe Nisotra breweri maybe not, i will try for a photo tomorrow.
they are attacking basil plants, the main green bog standard eating type (Ocimum basilicum perhaps) and a purple type also one other, i have been picking them off and squishing, spraying with neem oil, (not resorted to Pyrethrum yet) but from reading about their life cycle once infected with them they burrow and reproduce from the soil below, these basil are in pots, so i intend to bin the soil, wash the soil from the roots and re-pot into cleaned pots.
the Nisotra breweri (it may or may not be them, looks like them though) are reported to be 6mm long, my question to any beetle people here is when measuring beetles is it from front end to rear end or are the antenna included in the over all measurement. the ones we have here look to be smaller than 6mm but maybe with antenna…?
anyone had encounters with this problem? your solution? Thanks :)

trichome said:

in particular it is most likely a flea beetle or leaf beetle of some sort (they jump like fleas), maybe Nisotra breweri maybe not, i will try for a photo tomorrow.
they are attacking basil plants, the main green bog standard eating type (Ocimum basilicum perhaps) and a purple type also one other, i have been picking them off and squishing, spraying with neem oil, (not resorted to Pyrethrum yet) but from reading about their life cycle once infected with them they burrow and reproduce from the soil below, these basil are in pots, so i intend to bin the soil, wash the soil from the roots and re-pot into cleaned pots.
the Nisotra breweri (it may or may not be them, looks like them though) are reported to be 6mm long, my question to any beetle people here is when measuring beetles is it from front end to rear end or are the antenna included in the over all measurement. the ones we have here look to be smaller than 6mm but maybe with antenna…?
anyone had encounters with this problem? your solution? Thanks :)

would submerging the pots in water for 24 hours drown them?

bluegreen said:

trichome said:

in particular it is most likely a flea beetle or leaf beetle of some sort (they jump like fleas), maybe Nisotra breweri maybe not, i will try for a photo tomorrow.
they are attacking basil plants, the main green bog standard eating type (Ocimum basilicum perhaps) and a purple type also one other, i have been picking them off and squishing, spraying with neem oil, (not resorted to Pyrethrum yet) but from reading about their life cycle once infected with them they burrow and reproduce from the soil below, these basil are in pots, so i intend to bin the soil, wash the soil from the roots and re-pot into cleaned pots.
the Nisotra breweri (it may or may not be them, looks like them though) are reported to be 6mm long, my question to any beetle people here is when measuring beetles is it from front end to rear end or are the antenna included in the over all measurement. the ones we have here look to be smaller than 6mm but maybe with antenna…?
anyone had encounters with this problem? your solution? Thanks :)

would submerging the pots in water for 24 hours drown them?

i’m not sure but worth considering, thanks :)

trichome said:

in particular it is most likely a flea beetle or leaf beetle of some sort (they jump like fleas), maybe Nisotra breweri maybe not, i will try for a photo tomorrow.
they are attacking basil plants, the main green bog standard eating type (Ocimum basilicum perhaps) and a purple type also one other, i have been picking them off and squishing, spraying with neem oil, (not resorted to Pyrethrum yet) but from reading about their life cycle once infected with them they burrow and reproduce from the soil below, these basil are in pots, so i intend to bin the soil, wash the soil from the roots and re-pot into cleaned pots.
the Nisotra breweri (it may or may not be them, looks like them though) are reported to be 6mm long, my question to any beetle people here is when measuring beetles is it from front end to rear end or are the antenna included in the over all measurement. the ones we have here look to be smaller than 6mm but maybe with antenna…?
anyone had encounters with this problem? your solution? Thanks :)

no previous i’m sorry – if pyrethrum kills them i would use it.
repotting should work altho’ – did you use clean potting soil in the first place?
probably yes
so where did they come from and what is there predator?

justin said:

trichome said:

in particular it is most likely a flea beetle or leaf beetle of some sort (they jump like fleas), maybe Nisotra breweri maybe not, i will try for a photo tomorrow.
they are attacking basil plants, the main green bog standard eating type (Ocimum basilicum perhaps) and a purple type also one other, i have been picking them off and squishing, spraying with neem oil, (not resorted to Pyrethrum yet) but from reading about their life cycle once infected with them they burrow and reproduce from the soil below, these basil are in pots, so i intend to bin the soil, wash the soil from the roots and re-pot into cleaned pots.
the Nisotra breweri (it may or may not be them, looks like them though) are reported to be 6mm long, my question to any beetle people here is when measuring beetles is it from front end to rear end or are the antenna included in the over all measurement. the ones we have here look to be smaller than 6mm but maybe with antenna…?
anyone had encounters with this problem? your solution? Thanks :)

no previous i’m sorry – if pyrethrum kills them i would use it.
repotting should work altho’ – did you use clean potting soil in the first place?
probably yes
so where did they come from and what is there predator?

…their predator.

justin said:

trichome said:

in particular it is most likely a flea beetle or leaf beetle of some sort (they jump like fleas), maybe Nisotra breweri maybe not, i will try for a photo tomorrow.
they are attacking basil plants, the main green bog standard eating type (Ocimum basilicum perhaps) and a purple type also one other, i have been picking them off and squishing, spraying with neem oil, (not resorted to Pyrethrum yet) but from reading about their life cycle once infected with them they burrow and reproduce from the soil below, these basil are in pots, so i intend to bin the soil, wash the soil from the roots and re-pot into cleaned pots.
the Nisotra breweri (it may or may not be them, looks like them though) are reported to be 6mm long, my question to any beetle people here is when measuring beetles is it from front end to rear end or are the antenna included in the over all measurement. the ones we have here look to be smaller than 6mm but maybe with antenna…?
anyone had encounters with this problem? your solution? Thanks :)

no previous i’m sorry – if pyrethrum kills them i would use it.
repotting should work altho’ – did you use clean potting soil in the first place?
probably yes
so where did they come from and what is there predator?

they hang in leaf litter and the like, when the temp gets to a certain stage they spring into action, then bread in the soil around the plants they attack, there is a nematode that feeds on them, yes clean soil in the pots, don’t know if they were here or came in some how

just to qualify, i think the nematode feeds on the eggs in the soil

trichome said:

just to qualify, i think the nematode feeds on the eggs in the soil

are these pots outside or inside?

it is possible to mix your own potting mix – sand, compost, cowdung 2: 2: 1
then add soaked coir, water crystals or bentonite clay, fertiliser pellets and – if you have it – zeolite or diogenous earth which are reputed to kill small insects because they are microfine crushed shells from the dinosaur period (check).
anyrate try to change the soil consistency from last time.

justin said:

trichome said:

just to qualify, i think the nematode feeds on the eggs in the soil

are these pots outside or inside?

it is possible to mix your own potting mix – sand, compost, cowdung 2: 2: 1
then add soaked coir, water crystals or bentonite clay, fertiliser pellets and – if you have it – zeolite or diogenous earth which are reputed to kill small insects because they are microfine crushed shells from the dinosaur period (check).
anyrate try to change the soil consistency from last time.

Sounds good…

Be cautious with pyrethrum as it can damage young seedlings and new growth. Besides, it doesn’t work very well on beetles.

roughbarked said:

Be cautious with pyrethrum as it can damage young seedlings and new growth. Besides, it doesn’t work very well on beetles.

Well it does work on beetles but it works best in the nymph stages. The biggest problem is the need to saturate and cover all sides of the insects. This is often also too much for the plant.

If soaking the pots in water though, one could make that water a pyrethrum mix and soak the potting soil, not the green leafy parts of the plant.

There’s an idea…

roughbarked said:

roughbarked said:

Be cautious with pyrethrum as it can damage young seedlings and new growth. Besides, it doesn’t work very well on beetles.

Well it does work on beetles but it works best in the nymph stages. The biggest problem is the need to saturate and cover all sides of the insects. This is often also too much for the plant.

If soaking the pots in water though, one could make that water a pyrethrum mix and soak the potting soil, not the green leafy parts of the plant.

mmm? – ok – because you have to hit the insect directly with the pyrethrum – and that might be impossible if it lives in litter.
i’ve never used enough pyrethrum to effect the plant.

justin said:

trichome said:

just to qualify, i think the nematode feeds on the eggs in the soil

are these pots outside or inside?

it is possible to mix your own potting mix – sand, compost, cowdung 2: 2: 1
then add soaked coir, water crystals or bentonite clay, fertiliser pellets and – if you have it – zeolite or diogenous earth which are reputed to kill small insects because they are microfine crushed shells from the dinosaur period (check).
anyrate try to change the soil consistency from last time.

the pots are outside, no sorry not feasible to make up pot mix, might look for some diogenous earth

roughbarked said:

roughbarked said:

Be cautious with pyrethrum as it can damage young seedlings and new growth. Besides, it doesn’t work very well on beetles.

Well it does work on beetles but it works best in the nymph stages. The biggest problem is the need to saturate and cover all sides of the insects. This is often also too much for the plant.

If soaking the pots in water though, one could make that water a pyrethrum mix and soak the potting soil, not the green leafy parts of the plant.

picked a few more off, the numbers are getting fewer, i’ll see how it goes over next few days

soaking the pots in water as per bg suggestion, diligently picking them off day and night and several sprays with neem oil seems to have done the trick to break the cycle and rid them from the basil, thanks

trichome said:

soaking the pots in water as per bg suggestion, diligently picking them off day and night and several sprays with neem oil seems to have done the trick to break the cycle and rid them from the basil, thanks

well done :)

bluegreen said:

trichome said:

soaking the pots in water as per bg suggestion, diligently picking them off day and night and several sprays with neem oil seems to have done the trick to break the cycle and rid them from the basil, thanks

well done :)

thanks, and the basil plants are starting to grow nicely again :)

trichome said:

bluegreen said:

trichome said:

soaking the pots in water as per bg suggestion, diligently picking them off day and night and several sprays with neem oil seems to have done the trick to break the cycle and rid them from the basil, thanks

well done :)

thanks, and the basil plants are starting to grow nicely again :)

it is called breaking the cycle. :)

roughbarked said:

trichome said:

bluegreen said:

well done :)

thanks, and the basil plants are starting to grow nicely again :)

it is called breaking the cycle. :)

that’s what he said :)

smiles innocently.