Hello all,
I'm a new member to the forum and not really a bug Guy, but pretty laid back and down to earth and believe that everything mother nature has provided to us has it's purpose. I've Joined the forum because I'm growing cranberries commercially and have noticed that I have mantids. the first time I noticed was two years ago and it was not on the Bog, but this year when I was harvesting (dry harvest) Icame across probably as many as 30-50 of them in front of my rake. I would stop and catch them so as not to kill them and move them over to hte Birm of the Bog.
I Have been doing a little research and I think probably the most informative site I found was peter's and also found the egg sacks while I was processing the berries and also carefully removed those and put them aside for placing back at the Bog. I do use Chemicals but really like the Idea of natural preditory help so maybe looking for some input from those more knowledgable about that subject (mantids). I Have a few question for how to best protect the mantids but also have them for an effective preditory control.
For my situation so far the worst pest that I have in my cranberry beds are Fruit worms. I believe they do over winter in the bog so there is a certain amount of them from that but they also come in from the edges as moths that lay they're eggs in the berries. I usually have to apply a fungicide during bloom and shortly after I apply pesticides for the fruit worm. I also flood the bog in the winter wich aids in killing the fruit worm eggs and after harvest to remove trash and debris.
My plan is to place the egg sacks up on the birms around the bogs hoping they will eat the pests before tey come in and keeping them safe from the chemicals? Is it possible to tell weather or not the egg sacs have fertile eggs in them by appearance? When I was moving them off the Bog I didn't check the sexes wich I had not know at the time any how. I do have a picture of samoe that I brought home for my garden which I can't find right now but hopefully will and post later. I believe by looking on the website that they are the chineese mantids, but not sure, would like to know? I have a covered shed at the site would It be best to keep them (egg sacks) in there in a paper bag for the winter? Would the eggsacks survive the Flooding process? How could I maximize there survival rate when they hatch? I'm sure I have more questions but can't think af any right now, looking forward to any input from any one hope ya'll have a great day.
P.S. The picture that I have attached is a picture of the Bog that they were on.
n.
I'm a new member to the forum and not really a bug Guy, but pretty laid back and down to earth and believe that everything mother nature has provided to us has it's purpose. I've Joined the forum because I'm growing cranberries commercially and have noticed that I have mantids. the first time I noticed was two years ago and it was not on the Bog, but this year when I was harvesting (dry harvest) Icame across probably as many as 30-50 of them in front of my rake. I would stop and catch them so as not to kill them and move them over to hte Birm of the Bog.
I Have been doing a little research and I think probably the most informative site I found was peter's and also found the egg sacks while I was processing the berries and also carefully removed those and put them aside for placing back at the Bog. I do use Chemicals but really like the Idea of natural preditory help so maybe looking for some input from those more knowledgable about that subject (mantids). I Have a few question for how to best protect the mantids but also have them for an effective preditory control.
For my situation so far the worst pest that I have in my cranberry beds are Fruit worms. I believe they do over winter in the bog so there is a certain amount of them from that but they also come in from the edges as moths that lay they're eggs in the berries. I usually have to apply a fungicide during bloom and shortly after I apply pesticides for the fruit worm. I also flood the bog in the winter wich aids in killing the fruit worm eggs and after harvest to remove trash and debris.
My plan is to place the egg sacks up on the birms around the bogs hoping they will eat the pests before tey come in and keeping them safe from the chemicals? Is it possible to tell weather or not the egg sacs have fertile eggs in them by appearance? When I was moving them off the Bog I didn't check the sexes wich I had not know at the time any how. I do have a picture of samoe that I brought home for my garden which I can't find right now but hopefully will and post later. I believe by looking on the website that they are the chineese mantids, but not sure, would like to know? I have a covered shed at the site would It be best to keep them (egg sacks) in there in a paper bag for the winter? Would the eggsacks survive the Flooding process? How could I maximize there survival rate when they hatch? I'm sure I have more questions but can't think af any right now, looking forward to any input from any one hope ya'll have a great day.
P.S. The picture that I have attached is a picture of the Bog that they were on.
n.
