Treating Helicoverpa spp

[AussieVanda]

Helicoverpa over here is often referred to as budworm, in the States I think you call it Boll worm, but whatever its name it can be devestating to those of us who grow our orchids outside. I usually routinely spray once a fortnight but for whatever reason my schedule was set aside and i forgot.

This afternoon I noticed buds on one of my mokaras looking a bit odd. On closer inspection I realised I had a fresh infestation of budworm. I removed the ones I could see and sprayed the rest.

The moth that lays our budworm lays about 2000 eggs over about a weeks period and as the name suggests, they attack the flower buds of my vandas!

So, on the hope that I may assist others who may get the same or similar problems;
I spray with Mavrik also known as Klartan. The active ingredient is Tau-fluvalinate. It has a very wide range of sucking and chewing insects that it attacks. The link - http://www.ma-industries.com/Data/Ca...bio/Mavrik.pdf - probably provides all the info you might wish to know including toxicity. I know that other products also contain the same active ingredient (such as bayers 3 in 1).

This stuff is pretty darn effective.

Cheers

[WhiteRabbit]

Dang

Thanks for the info

[kindrag23]

wow thanks for the info is right, my hibiscus got attacked by agave moths and it laid its eggs in my oldest ones pots. Let me tell you when I found what I thought were gigantic grubb worms I almost had a heart attack!

[Island Girl]

Ooh, that's horrid! I hope you killed all those evil worms! That can be so satisfying Thanks for the info tho.