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- Q.Do Termites And Carpenter Ants Kill Living Trees - I have a very old and large White Alder, trunk 13 feet around, in my backyard. It has been healthy, ...
- Q.Grubs - Can I put down top soil and reseed this fall after I treated my lawn for grubs? What is best ...
- Q.Japanese Beetle Grubs - Should I treat for Japanese beetle grubs now or wait until spring? I don't have signs of grubs but have ...
- Q.Will Crushed Eggshells Harm Earthworms? - Your article provides excellent advice on adding eggshells to one's garden to remove pests - slugs, snails, cutworms, and other ...
- Q.Controlling Roots Maggots - One of the ways it is said to control root maggots is by solarizing infected beds. What does that mean?
- Q.How To Get Rid Of Grubs - I have been here 44 years and never had these bugs before. What is the best way to do this? ...
- Q.Grub Worms - We are infested with grub worms. My husband treated with specticide last Sunday but now our yard is covered with ...
Asked by
Anonymous on
September 22, 2015Q.Do termites and carpenter ants kill living trees
I have a very old and large White Alder, trunk 13 feet around, in my backyard. It has been healthy, but recently has developed a lot of dying limbs and there is loose bark forming along one side of the trunk, but at least 3/4 of the bark still looks healthy and has green limbs above it. I was told that termites and carpenter ants may be killing the tree. I have seen neither insect, but there is dry rot leading to a hole in the ground, and some small insect holes under loose bark. My question: Would these insects attack solid hardwood in the center of the trunk or just move into already rotting wood from some other cause? I have never seen either of these pests bother live trees (in Willamette Valley in Oregon), but know they are fairly common in wood structures and wood in touch with the ground. I am hoping to prune, treat, and fertilize the tree and hope it can make a comeback, if the central core is still in tact to support it. Thank you.
- Answered by
Downtoearthdigs on
September 23, 2015A.I am not to sure about either, though I do not think ants would pose a serious threat to the tree and termites normally affect trees that are already under stress. It could be tree borers (https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/ornamental/trees/tgen/tree-borer-insects.htm), but to err on the safe side, I would have a tree specialist come out and have a look at it.
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- Asked by
Anonymous on
September 22, 2015Q.grubs
Can I put down top soil and reseed this fall after I treated my lawn for grubs? What is best product for treating the lawn for grubs?
- Answered by
Downtoearthdigs on
September 23, 2015A.This article should help: https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/plant-problems/pests/lawn-grubs-how-to-get-rid-of-grub-worms.htm
Was this answer useful?00 - Asked by
Anonymous on
September 22, 2015Q.Japanese beetle grubs
Should I treat for Japanese beetle grubs now or wait until spring? I don't have signs of grubs but have the beetles in the summer.
- Answered by
Downtoearthdigs on
September 23, 2015A.Before treating for grubs, you need to first ensure that there is, in fact, a grub problem. Once you know for certain that grubs are present, this article should help with treatment: https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/plant-problems/pests/lawn-grubs-how-to-get-rid-of-grub-worms.htm
Was this answer useful?00 - Asked by
SDunn760 on
September 24, 2015
San Marcos CA (Southern CA)Q.Will crushed eggshells harm earthworms?
Your article provides excellent advice on adding eggshells to one's garden to remove pests - slugs, snails, cutworms, and other crawling pests. Earthworms do crawl, so would they also be affected by crushed eggshells? I don't want harm coming to the earthworms in my yard.
- Answered by
Downtoearthdigs on
September 26, 2015A.Egg shells will not harm worms. It is best to crush the egg shells .
Was this answer useful?00 - Asked by
Anonymous on
September 25, 2015Q.controlling roots maggots
One of the ways it is said to control root maggots is by solarizing infected beds. What does that mean?
- Answered by
Downtoearthdigs on
September 27, 2015A.The following article(s) should be of some help to you:
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/plant-problems/pests/root-eating-insects-identifying-vegetable-root-maggots-and-root-maggot-control.htm
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/garden-how-to/projects/how-to-solarize-garden-beds-to-eliminate-garden-pests-in-the-soil.htmWas this answer useful?00 - Asked by
joabow on
September 27, 2015
N.W.Pa beleve zone 5Q.How to get rid of Grubs
I have been here 44 years and never had these bugs before. What is the best way to do this? What is a good product that I can do myself or lawn care?
- Answered by
Downtoearthdigs on
September 29, 2015A.Here is a link that will help you.
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/plant-problems/pests/insects/get-rid-of-grub-worms.htm
Was this answer useful?00 - Asked by
Anonymous on
September 28, 2015Q.grub worms
We are infested with grub worms. My husband treated with specticide last Sunday but now our yard is covered with them. Do you think they are dying or do we need to treat again. HELP. Thanks.
Answered by
shelley on
September 30, 2015
Certified ExpertA.Because grubs are subsurface insects, it might take a couple of days to completely control them. You may opt to repeat an application of spectracide per the product's specifications if you do not see some modicum of improvement over a reasonable amount of time or try another product altogether.
In the meantime here is an article on grub removal that might give you some other ideas:
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/plant-problems/pests/insects/get-rid-of-grub-worms.htm
Happy gardening!
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