Thousands of leather jackets

Standingtall

Hi Everyone

Please can someone give advice. I have woken up this week to garden paths full of what I believe to be leather jackets. I have identified them through the internet.

They seem to be coming out mainly in the wet although also at other times but in lesser quantities. I asked at the garden centre and they say the only chemical suitable has been banned. They advised a black poly sack over the soil / grass overnight to draw the blighters out - this did not work!

I am currently sweeping them up and putting them in a bucket of hot bleachy salty water - this works but I am knackered lol.

I have order Nemysis leather jacket killer off ebay and that arrives next week.

I live north of Aberdeen and we only moved here a couple of months ago - is this is a local problem as i have never experienced these before Or is it likely to be just my house?

Any thoughts, advice, alternative solutions are much appreciated!

HELP!

Regards
ST

sobie

Poor you ! You're not the only one though. Loads of my customers have been in this week with the same problem.

The chemical has definately been banned (Neonic kind that may be harmful to bees) so Nematodes are the only treatment I'm affraid.

Davesnave

There is quite a large difference between leather jackets and leatherjackets!

I have lots of the latter. Mostly I don't see them, but my mate the blackbird, who follows my gardening exploits carefully, picks them out for me.

I don't have a problem with these larvae of crane flies. They are way down my list of stuff to worry about, beyond Scientology, even.

You don't say if you have a problem, but I guess you must have if you're spending good money on nematodes. Don't forget to count those: they sometimes sell you a few thousand short! :whistle:

Standingtall

thanks Davesnave and Sobie. It seems that Nematodes it is then. I take your point about Leather Jackets Davesnave - I desire these rather than wish to eliminate them:rotfl:

Anyway, I / we (well me on behalf of hubby and I) have decided to take out the grass from the shadey side of the house where the cretins seem to be. It only bordered a pathway to the back gate in any case and this seems to be the main area in which they are concentrated and they have helpfully eradicated much of the grass for us in preparation :eek:

Fortunately they do not seem to be present on the main lawn yet so with the nest site elimination and the nematodes we may be able to salvage this situation.

I would not say we have a problem with them really - it is more a case of we will have a problem if we can't get rid of them. Plus they were heading towards the vents that service the house this morning - can you imagine waking up to find them in the kitchen:mad:
Cheers all
ST

lostinrates

It's been a particularly leatherjackety spring. My chickens are in seventh heaven with them all



Have you got rid of a bird nesting site of a tree or anything?

Standingtall

hi Lostinrates

Not to my knowledge and certainly no evidence of any tree carnage - but we only moved in this March so could not be certain.

Cheers
ST