(Information Guide)
Heterorhabditis Bacteriophora Nematodes (HB)
Are most effective against Beetles, Grubs, Weevils, and many other target pests in lawn and garden. They burrow down in the soil to a depth of 7" looking for deep soil- dwelling pests.
Visual Effect
Infected grubs turn color from white-beige to red-brown 3-5 days after application and become slimy. After a few weeks, dead larvae disintegrate completely and are difficult to find. As soon as the nematodes are in the infectious third stage, they leave the grub and start searching for new larvae. When there are no new host present, the nematode population will slowly decrease.
•Target pests include:
Cucumber Beetle, Grubs, Gall midge, Strawberry Rootweevil, May/June Beetle, Masked Chafer, Cranberry Rootworm, Flea, Scarab and Japanese beetles, Straw- berry Root and Black-vine Weevils, Chafer, Squash Bugs, Leaf Beetles, Termite, Cutworms, White Grubs, Algae Gnats, Black Fly, Potato Tubeworm, Meal Worm, Bark Beetle, Corn Root Weevil, Fire Ant, sting Bugs, Pine Beetle, Gall Gnats, Gypsy Moth, Corn Root Worm, Billbug, Colorado Potato Beetle, Thrips, Ants and termites (apply directly to mound and nest areas),and many other deep soil dwelling insects.
•They are highly efficent when the pest is more widely dispersed in the soil because they have a "tooth" to rupture the insect's skin and enter through the insect's body wall and openings.
Steinernema Carpocapse Nematodes (SC)
Is most effective against flea larvae and caterpillars in lawns, garden soil, and under trees where larvae pupate. They stay near the surface waiting to ambush surface dwelling pests.
•Target pests include:
Fleas, Dog and cat flea larvae, Codling Moth, Cutworm, Armyworm, Leafminer, Bluegrass billbugs, termites, ants, Sod Webworm, Mole Cricket, some caterpillar pests, Billbug, Flies, ArmyWorms, Loopers, European Crane Fly, Cranberry Girdler and many other surface dwellers.
Steinernema Feltiae Nematodes (SF)
Are the most effective against larval control of several fly species (sciaridae, phoridae, leaf miners, domestic fly and also of some moth larvae. They patrol the top 3" of the soil.
•Target pests include:
Fungus Gnat, Mushroom Flies, Fruit Flies, Flea Beetles, Saw Flies, Tachina Flies, Crane Flies, Shore Flies and fruit flies.
• They are effective against some plant parasitic nematodes, particularly root-knot nematodes.
 BIOLOGICAL CONTROL OF GRUBS AND OTHER SOIL DWELLING PESTS
Nematodes are microscopic, non-segmented worms which occur naturally in soil all over the world. Thousands of strains exist with different life-styles. Beneficial ones attack soil dwelling insects and leave plants alone. These predators enter the host through body openings or by penetration of the body wall. Once inside, they release a bacterium which kills the host within 48 hours. The nematode continues to reproduce and its offspring begin to seek out new host material. Beneficial nematodes are a totally safe biological control parasitic insect organism. They are so safe that the EPA has waived the registration requirements for application.
NATURES WAY OF KILLING INSECT PESTS IN THE SOIL.
Though they are harmless to humans, animals, plants, and healthy eartworms, beneficial nematodes aggressively pursue pest insects. When they sense the temperature and carbon dioxide emissions of soil-borne insects, they move toward their prey and enter the pest through its body openings. The nematodes carry an associated simbiotic bacterium (Xenorhabdus species) that kills insects fast - within 48 hours. The bacteria is harmless to humans and other organisms and cannot live freely in nature. Several generations of nematodes may live and breed within the dead pest and they emerge and seek more pests in the soil. Nematodes offer a way to kill the immature stages of garden pests before they become adults.
Beneficial nematodes control grubs that are known to destroy crops. They are effective against white grubs and the larval or grub stage of Japanese Beetles, Northern Masked Chafer, European Chafer, Rose Chafer, Fly larvae, Oriental Beetles, June Beetles, Flea beetles, Bill-bugs, Cut-worms, Army worms, Black Vine Weevils, Strawberry Root Weevils, Fungus Gnats, Sciarid larvae, Sod Web-worms, Girdler, Citrus Weevils, Maggots and other Dip-tera, Mole Crickets, Iris Borer, Root Maggot, Cabbage Root Maggot, Flea, Ants, and Carrot Weevils.
These predators are also effective against: termites, German cockroaches, flies, ants, and fleas.
TESTIMONIAL:
Photo's provided to us by our customer before and after using nematodes.
    How do I know if I have grubs in my lawn?
White grubs feed on the roots of grasses, so lawns will show wilting and browning of irregular shaped areas. Certainly there could be many reasons for lawns browning, especially in late summer when most grub damage occurs. Always check the root zone of affected areas for the white, c-shaped grubs. Carefully pull back the sod in suspect areas, in particular the marginal areas where brown grass meets green grass and look for the grubs. Usually a population of about 10 or more grubs per square foot will lead to browning of the lawn. Keep in mind other factors that can lead to poor rooting and are mistaken for grubs. For example, lawns in shade areas often have weak roots and are pulled up easily. Grubs do not typically appear in shade lawns. Also, many lawns were easily pulled up this spring and grubs were blamed. Once grass dies, regardless of the cause, roots will rot away and the grass is very easy to tear out. So trying to diagnose grub damage from the previous season as the cause of a dead lawn area in spring is very difficult to do, even if limited roots are found in an area of dead grass.
Another sign of grubs is damage from skunks and raccoons digging up lawns in search of grubs to eat. This usually happens at night. Moles may or may not be feeding on grubs so, are not a reliable indicator of grub problems.
Why does my lawn have grubs but not my neighbor’s? Keep in mind the adult stage of the grub life cycle is a beetle, which can fly. Random chance is part of the answer. But adult beetles usually lay eggs in full sun lawn areas with adequate soil moisture. The masked chafer (annual white grub) and Japanese beetle lay eggs in June and July. So if the weather has been dry, but your lawn is watered and surrounded by dry lawns, it is a prime target for egg laying.
How can I predict if my lawn will have grub damage this year? It is difficult, as insects can go in cycles and many factors influence the chances of grubs appearing in your lawn. Lots of adult beetles on the lawn in the summer is one indication. Masked chafers, the adult of the annual white grub, are tan beetles active shortly after sundown. Japanese beetles fly during the day and feed heavily on many ornamentals. Noting these adults and then having irrigated lawns surrounded by drier turf increases the chances of grub damage to your lawn. Watch lawns closely starting about mid-June and continuing into September for wilting and browning areas and then check the root zone for grubs.
Can I prevent grub damage? There are some options to consider. One option is allowing the lawn to go into dormancy if conditions dry due to lack of rainfall in summer, reducing the odds of grub damage since the adult beetles look for green lawns with good soil moisture for egg laying. The downside is the lawn will be brown and dormant. Also, this may not be reliable if rainfall keeps grasses green throughout the summer and fall, although if all lawns are green, the chances of significant grub damage on any one lawn are low since the adult beetles tend to disperse and lay eggs over a much broader area under this scenario. Another option is to closely monitor the lawn as we advance into late summer and be ready to act if grubs start to appear. Watch for grass areas going off-color and just starting to brown, in particular those areas that have been irrigated. Check the root zone for small white grubs. If grubs are present, apply beneficial nematodes.
What about using organic controls for grub control?
Heterorhabditis bacteriophora nematodes have shown good results for white grub control. Nematodes are very small unsegmented worms. This particular species will search out white grubs and after entering the grub, release bacteria that kills the grub. This product is available all year from spring to fall, often sold as Hb nematodes. This product should be applied late in the day to lawns with adequate soil moisture and then watered in immediately.
APPLICATION RECOMMENDATIONS:
Application for the 10 Million nematodes:
Mix with water and spray or sprinkle on the soil along garden, lawn or crop rows or around larger plants. Place the entire sponge of nematodes in a bucket. Pour at least two quarts of water over the sponge and repeatedly squeeze for a few minutes to get the nematodes out of the sponge and into the bucket of water. Discard the sponge and pour the water into a sprayer or water can. At this stage, you should have the amount of nematodes indicated on the bag suspended in about two quarts of water. Add clean water to dilute the suspension and make up the volume that your sprayer requires. You can always add more water for distribution of the nematodes to cover the required square footage. Just add 2, 5, or 10 gallons of water so that you have enough to allow even spread of the nematodes. Keep the soil moist during the first 10 days after application.
Application for the 50 Million and 100 Million Nematodes:
Put one or two tablepoon of the nematodes from the package into a gallon of water, stir to break up any lumps, and let the entire solution soak for a few minutes. Then carefully pour the mixture into a sprayer and use the spray solution immediately. You can also mix the nematodes directly into the sprayer and stir to break up any lumps, using one or two tablespoon per gallon of water. Application can be made using a watering can, irrigation system, knapsack or sprayer. Evenly spread the solution over the ground areas to be treated. Continuous mixing should take place in order to prevent the nematodes from sinking to the bottom of the container. Add more water if necessary to allow even spread of the nematodes. Keep the soil moist during the first 10 days after application.
For a garden, sometimes the best method is using a simple sprinkling or water can to apply to the soil. You can apply before and after setting out transplants. For Japanese beetle grubs and other soil dwelling pest insects, apply beneficial nematodes wherever symptomatic damage from insects is detected. Wet soil first if soil is dry. During hot weather release at night when temperature is cooler. Release once or twice a year or until pest infestation subsides. Nematodes are shipped in the infectious larvae stage of their life cycle and can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 weeks. Always release very early in the morning or late in the late afternoon.
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