Curative Control

Plants in pest control

1. Custard apple
2. Neem
3. Papaya
4. Red cedar

Pathogens

Bug juice spray (Ellis; Bradley, 1996: pp. 468, 470).

Materials Needed

1/2 cup of beetles

Mortal and pestle or grinder

Strainer

nMethod of preparation

1. Pound or grind beetles in 2 cups of water
2. Strain
3. Dilute Πcup of this concentrate in 1-2 cups of water

Odor of crushed beetles sprayed on the plants repels new beetles of the same species to come and also the odor attracts the natural enemies of the pests.

Use the spray to control the same pest species that is in the mixture. Spray the plants thoroughly. You can apply once or twice but bug spray is reported to be effective for as long as 2 months.

Precaution: There has not been much research done on bug juice. Avoid direct contact while preparing juice. Wash materials used thoroughly and wash sprayed produce before using or eating it.

Physical methods

1. Bird perches
   nBuild perches made of bamboo/wooden poles and place in strategic locations to attract birds to rest. Cooked rice can be used as an additional bird attractant. Birds are good pests' predators (NCIPM, 2000).
2. Raise chickens in backyards. They are good white grub eaters.
3. Handpick beetles and feed to chickens or place in a pail of soapy water to drown.
4. Collect beetles by shaking the plants to let them fall onto the sheet of old/used papers placed underneath the plants. Put collected beetles into a bucket of soapy water to drown. The soapy water will prevent them from flying away.
5. Make bait traps of mashed fruit, sugar, yeast and water. Place these baits on the perimeter of the garden in plastic containers with an entrance hole cut at the top. Beetles love to feed on sweet smelling food. Choose sunny spots and strain the bodies out of traps every day (Golden Harvest Organics, 2003).