Flea Beetle 2019

[Gong Farmer]

Well we in the west thought we were safe from the dreaded beetle having never seen much damage in previous years.This year they have arrived in great numbers like a flock of locusts.We sprayed some last night,will do some more tonight but,I fear,we are going to lose the battle.

It was in small pockets in Herefordshire and Shropshire last year but this time it seems more general.

 

[lloyd]

I'd use my smug face if I wasn't still waiting to drill the grass I am using instead of osr. Sigh

I'd use it now.
Give it a couple of years of sheep and beef
profits and it might never get used.

 

[juke]

has anyone had much luck killing flea beetle or are they all resistant now ?

 

[Brisel]

Certainly killed a lot but not all on the couple of fields we’ve done so far.

 

[Renaultman]

Change of plan now blowing a gale

W

has anyone had much luck killing flea beetle or are they all resistant now ?

has anyone had much luck killing flea beetle or are they all resistant now ?

We spray on a night, or early morning, if we spray at all. It does seem to help. I do t like doing it and would normally hope it would grow away from them but we need rain

 

[Flat 10]

Just tipped 14 mm out the rain gauge,got to of done some good

You have had way more rain this summer in Lincs than we have had in cambs

 

[willy]

You have had way more rain this summer in Lincs than we have had in cambs

Depends what part of lincs

 

[David.]

Mine is up like it should be, but is shrinking back into the ground with the dry now. Always the way, drilling rape turns the taps off for about 6 weeks.

 

[lloyd]

Certainly killed a lot but not all on the couple of fields we’ve done so far.

How many would you expect to see in roughly 10 square meters?
Had a look at neighbouring rape shot bad but seems to have grown
Quick among volunteer corn.

 

[DrWazzock]

Been out on the Bateman beetle bomber tonight. Emerging OSR being slaughtered. If there isn't a decent stand by the end of the week then its game over. Hopefully the rain we had last night will have brought through the rest of the seedlings by then and the spray tonight will have held the beetles back a bit.

 

[limestone brash]

Mine looks awful on close inspection but from the edge of the field you can just see the rows
I’m hoping this dry weather is stimulating deep tap root development ie a 6” root for a 1/2 “ seedling and then when it does rain it will race away
I live in hope !

 

[DrWazzock]

Strangely the OSR I direct drilled into a grass ley is untouched by CSFB. Maybe its because it smells like a hay field or because the rape seedlings are so far down in unclosed slots that the beetles haven't noticed them .... yet. Its got its own problems though. Not a very good seedbed so going to struggle to get a viable population.

 

[Clive]

Purely observation so far but walking crops today I’m seeing a big difference where I placed calcifert with seed and DAP

I have a field where I have various rates of calcifert as a trial and you can see the difference already

I wasn’t trialing it in relation to CSFB so this is unexpected - any ideas why on earth it would make any difference?

 

[DrWazzock]

Purely observation so far but walking crops today I’m seeing a big difference where I placed calcifert with seed and DAP

I have a field where I have various rates of calcifert as a trial and you can see the difference already

I wasn’t trialing it in relation to CSFB so this is unexpected - any ideas why on earth it would make any difference?

Taste/smell of the plant?

 

[Flat 10]

Purely observation so far but walking crops today I’m seeing a big difference where I placed calcifert with seed and DAP

I have a field where I have various rates of calcifert as a trial and you can see the difference already

I wasn’t trialing it in relation to CSFB so this is unexpected - any ideas why on earth it would make any difference?

Calcium is the main ingredient of grazers if I recall.

 

[lloyd]

Could do with several days of rain here
and cooler temperatures.

 

[Adeptandy]

Planning on drilling again next weekend, just cant decide on drilling method at the mo

 

[Clive]

Calcium is the main ingredient of grazers if I recall.

Interesting

 

[John]

Planning on drilling again next weekend, just cant decide on drilling method at the mo

Good luck, it’s going to be a nice weekend I’d go to the beach instead.

 

[Brisel]

Calcium is the main ingredient of grazers if I recall.

It’s what the calcium is attached to that is the key IMO.