Australia: Hot house pest problem arrives with rain
The blame lies with the current weather conditions and with the acres of soybean growing in abundance throughout the district. It seems a bit of rain after such a long period of dry has created a breeding frenzy and hothouse growers close to a source have been caught in a challenging situation.
Graham Grant, of Wardell Hydroponic Lettuce, is a firm believer in integrated pest management, using predatory insects to keep control of problem critters, like whitefly.
In normal times the predators keep on top of the prey, provided green trimmings are disposed of properly and housekeeping is looked after. Standing water, for instance, creates an excellent breeding ground.
But when bug populations start to increase, the vigilant grower starts to spray - at first with "soft" chemicals, and when the problem bugs start to explode with "hot" chemicals that also kill the predatory protectors.
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