grape leaf skeletonizer

[Yvonne G]

I planted Thompson seedless grapevines separating tortoise pens in the hopes of harvesting the leaves to feed to the tortoises. The vines are now about 4 years old, but the problem is, there are so many grape leaf skeletonizer larvae eating the leaves that I never have enough to share with the tortoises. I used to cut off the whole branch and toss it in the garbage, but realized I should leave the wood and only cut off the leaf. So this year, I go to the vine every a.m. and clip off the infected leaves. Is there a non-toxic way to treat the vine that would kill the larvae and not harm my tortoises?

Yvonne

 

[Itort]

This is a moth larva and as such BT (bacillus thuringensis) will knock them out. This is a bacterium fatal to only moths and butterflies. You should be able to find at any nursery (esp. ones with fruit trees and vines). I've used it for years and it's harmless to all but moths and butterflies.

 

[chelonologist]

There's a product called Gnatrol that contains Bacillus thuringiensis - it's great for controlling root gnats, those little annoying gnats that lay eggs in potting soil.

Here's a couple of places that sell it:

http://www.bghydro.com/BGH/itemdesc.asp?ic=PCGNAT32&eq=&Tp=

http://www.planetnatural.com/site/gnatrol.html

 

[Itort]

There's a product called Gnatrol that contains Bacillus thuringiensis - it's great for controlling root gnats, those little annoying gnats that lay eggs in potting soil.

Here's a couple of places that sell it:

http://www.bghydro.com/BGH/itemdesc.asp?ic=PCGNAT32&eq=&Tp=

http://www.planetnatural.com/site/gnatrol.html

This product is BTi (bacillus thuringiensis israelanis) which is great for controling misquitoes and apparently gnats but is a different bacillus from BT. I use BTi in turtle pools and it works for misquitoes but doesn't touch lotus moths.