Leaf miner pheromone traps domestically?

[attml]

Does anyone know where I can find leaf miner pheromone traps domestically? I started my season great last year and then the leafminers came and literally devastated my garden. I sat and watched as the little devils defoliated my garden at an alarming pace! I couldn't clear them quickly enough! I saw some traps online last year towards the end of the year but they were in the UK. Anyone know where I can find some in the US? Thanks!

Mark

[kurt]

Originally Posted by attml

Does anyone know where I can find leaf miner pheromone traps domestically? I started my season great last year and then the leafminers came and literally devastated my garden. I sat and watched as the little devils defoliated my garden at an alarming pace! I couldn't clear them quickly enough! I saw some traps online last year towards the end of the year but they were in the UK. Anyone know where I can find some in the US? Thanks!

Mark

We have them here in S Florida,they fly/ come and lay eggs on the leaves ,they crawl inside the leaf and drop to the ground ,morph into another winged insect and start all over again.So you need to get a control measure in the ground(systemic spray)to stop the life cycle.They love any uneven ground with crevices.Alot of growers down here use plastic sheeting under the crops to prevent new egg laying of pests.I start be pulling the infected leaves off that stops any new egg formation.Spray then underneath the plants to stop the cycle.Traps will eliminate the adults(flying)Good Luck

[attml]

Thanks but what are you spraying underneath your plants with that is tomato safe?

[carolyn137]

Originally Posted by attml

Thanks but what are you spraying underneath your plants with that is tomato safe?

Good question since systemic products should not be used near edibles.

Most of the time if you remove the affected leaves the plants in question will still go on to make new leaves and I've read that up to 1/3 of the leaves can be destroyed and the plants will be OK.

But I am surprised to hear that Leaf Miners are a problem in MD, since I associate them with plants being grown far to the south of MD.

[attml]

Carolyn,

I had a horrible year last year with miners! I was pulling leaves like crazy. My plants got so thinned out that I just stopped producing and by late August I finally gave up! I had about 40 plants. People who I gave plants to from the same crop of seeds that live a mile away didn't have any miners. We live right along the Severn River in a heavily wooded area so I don't know if that made a difference. I had some miners the year prior but last year was ridiculous!!!

Mark

[kurt]

Originally Posted by attml

Thanks but what are you spraying underneath your plants with that is tomato safe?

At my lcal nursery supply company they gave me Phrethrine with canola oils that are garden safe because it is biodegradable after prolonged exposure to sunlight and oxygen.The only precaution was not to use near and around water sources(ponds ,rivers,wells it does affect smaller fish.The traps are made to monitor insects for control and they use different phermones to lure different insects so you have to buy the trap for that insect.They trap the insect but the root of problem is to stop the life cycle of leaf miners.Those little suckers will over winter and emerge in the spring.They burrow done into ground and emerge as another flying pest and it starts all over again.

[kurt]

Originally Posted by carolyn137

Good question since systemic products should not be used near edibles.

Most of the time if you remove the affected leaves the plants in question will still go on to make new leaves and I've read that up to 1/3 of the leaves can be destroyed and the plants will be OK.

But I am surprised to hear that Leaf Miners are a problem in MD, since I associate them with plants being grown far to the south of MD.

Just to clear the air the pyretrum is not a systemic control,but it is systemic to the body of the insect as by the definition of the word.