MOSSY STREAM: Dooa Mizukusa wall

[dw1305]

Hi all,

Yes I’ve looked into the mealybug ladybird that eats mealybugs etc

Although I tried putting them on an aphid infested Hellebore and the wretched things kept wandering off!)

I bought <"Cryptolaemus montrouzieri"> for the glasshouse. It started well, but they soon decided to leave and they fly really strongly when it is warm. If I put a mealybug effected plant in the glasshouse, it is pretty quickly cleaned up, but I have no idea what eats them.

The parasitoid wasps of the genus Aphidius <"are much more effective">. I never bought these, they just arrived on their own, I'm not sure how they would do in a house. In the glasshouse there are usually a few aphids in the spring, but they all end up parasitised as the temperature climbs.

I also purchased the midge <"Aphidoletes aphidimyza">, they persisted for a long time but I'm not sure I have any left.

cheers Darrel

 

[Iain Sutherland]

Thanks Iain, yes it’s been doing really well to be honest until very recently where I now have a massive black aphid outbreak which are slowly killing my maidenhair ferns 😢
I am trying Diatomaceous earth to treat the aphid infestation but it’s so messy. I may try alcohol as a more direct method of killing. It’s tricky to get suitable treatment with it being over a tank with fish and inverts. Fingers crossed something will work as I’ve been loving it and the chilli rasbora are perfect fish 😍

A recent image….
View attachment 223089

love it mate, feels like a real slice out of nature! You could just cut the maidenhair down entirely, you might be surprised how quick it comes back, in a few months you would never know (going way back in time but recall Alistair documented doing exactly that and how long it took to grow back in his chocolate puddle journal although all the photos have now gone so tricky to find)