Pear disease

[mickeymuc]

Hi Arnold,

I try using a formulation  containing Neem oil, which works well against most mites and does not harm any other animals (except insects feeding on the leaves). Needs to be used repeatedly to kill the offspring, but as it does no harm to other animals I'd try this, if available in your country.

[ArnoldT]

Michael:

Thanks I've Neem oil on the shelf.

This pear mite can be completely controlled with a dormant oil application.  I missed the oil spray this year, so I'm seeing the results of not spraying.

One of the quotes I saw was that the pear leaf blister mite is found in abandoned orchards.

Ooops!

[François Lambert]

Hello Francosi, I did not   know that earwigs would  predate on such tiny pests , so this sounds like sensible advice, thank you.

Nature often surprises us ... I have now earwigs living in my greenhouse, and I assume this is why I don't have any problems with aphids on the vegetables growing in the greenhouse, where last year (the first year for my greenhouse ) I have had plants literally killed by the greenfly.  Whenever I find a pest I look after who is the natural predator and then make sure I can attract this predator by providing the suitable habitat.  To fight slugs I have attracted hedgehogs, to fight snails I am working on making the environment even more attractive to mavis birds.  I must admit that this is relatively easy for me living on the countryside but I can imagine attracting birds or mamels to an urban environment may simply be unrealistic.