Pest ID help

[Terry Coombs]

While checking things out in the garden yesterday , I found 2 kinds of bugs on some of my tomato leaves . The small pear-shaped green ones are aphids , but I can't find any info on the other one . At first glance they look like tiny pieces of white thread about 1/16" long . Under a magnifier they're tiny little bugs that kinda-sorta have a resemblance to a praying mantis . I powdered the entire tomato patch with DiPel , a BT based product , making sure I covered both top and bottom of the leaves . Hopefully this will control whatever it is . If it's a predator bug , it shouldn't be harmed since it won't be eating the leaves ... -- Snag

[David Hare-Scott]

I think this was a waste of time as BT specifically attacks the lining if the gut of insect larvae (grubs and caterpillars) who eat it. This is why it is generally safe for predatory insect and miscellaneous other living things as either it doesn't attack their gut or they don't eat it. Aphids don't eat the leaves as they are sap-suckers, the BT is non-systemic so it sits on the outside and doesn't get into the sap. For aphids you can hose them off, they cannot climb back up to the top of the plant where the soft shoots and buds are. Or use one of the milder contact sprays like pyrethrum.

D

[Terry Coombs]

Thanks , I'll check out the pyrethrum . I have to be very careful now about what I use and when . We have a new bee hive out in the orchard , and we don't want to poison Our Ladies of the Hive .

[David Hare-Scott]

Pyrethrum is strictly contact, if the bees don't get sprayed they are not harmed. Do it by moonlight when they are all in bed.

D

[Terry Coombs]

I've been reading up ... was just out in the garden , noticed that there are a lot of yellow leaves on some of the tomatoes and pole beans , some with black spots . Also have a black mold-like substance on the stems of some of my tomatoes . Some tomato leaves are curled some and have black edges . Ideas anyone ? I'm still really kinda new to gardening , and the related pests and various diseases .

[David Hare-Scott]

Perhaps buy a book that lists all these things with colour pictures of the pest and the effect they produce. I have one by Valerie Swain but it may not be available where you are.

D

[Terry Coombs]

I have sometthing even better , I have an older gentleman gardener that loves to share his knowledge of local problems . I carried a couple of the yellowed leaves over yesterday and he knew at first glance what the problem was and how to fix it . He wasn't sure of the name of the particular fungus , but he knew what to use to stop it . Sprayed fungicide last night at dusk and today they're recovering nicely .

[Terry Coombs]

Web site bookmarked , thank you very much .

[phorbin]

With attention to the problem solvers.