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Diantomaceous Earth


sheena
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I would say food grade or livestock grade. Just avoid the pool stuff.

My local feed store sells it in 50 lb bags for chicken farmers. That's in the US, but I imagine Ozzie feedstores carry it too. If you're going to do your whole yard, you'll need a fair amount, so buying local will be more economical than paying the shipping for an online purchase.

Another non-toxic approach, which I don't know if you can find in your area, is beneficial nematodes. They will kill fleas, ticks, and ants! eg,,

http://www.arbico-organics.com/category/beneficial-nematodes

They work well in the American South, so would probably work in northern NSW.

Edited by sandgrubber
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Guest Wildthing

The old brain isn't functioning well at the moment, but I seem to remember that nematodes were recommended to use for Scarab beetles. In the ACT, they need to be applied at a certain time of year, so imagine it would apply to different areas. Skimmed through the information in the link, but didn't see if they could be used for mites on chickens. However, I am not sure on the life cycle of those pesky little critters. They are carried by wild birds, but also lay eggs on feather shafts. However, they must originate from somewhere along the way as I never had them years ago when I had poultry, but have had them this time around in great numbers! Think I will have to investigate nematodes for them as well as the DE for the ants. This is a very useful informative thread, thank you for starting it - I am learning fast!!! DE is used for cat litter, but I don't use it!

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The old brain isn't functioning well at the moment, but I seem to remember that nematodes were recommended to use for Scarab beetles. In the ACT, they need to be applied at a certain time of year, so imagine it would apply to different areas. Skimmed through the information in the link, but didn't see if they could be used for mites on chickens. However, I am not sure on the life cycle of those pesky little critters. They are carried by wild birds, but also lay eggs on feather shafts. However, they must originate from somewhere along the way as I never had them years ago when I had poultry, but have had them this time around in great numbers! Think I will have to investigate nematodes for them as well as the DE for the ants. This is a very useful informative thread, thank you for starting it - I am learning fast!!! DE is used for cat litter, but I don't use it!

Look over this site, Wildthing.

https://www.greenharvest.com.au/PestControlOrganic/Information/NematodeControl.html

Eelworms is their other name.

:)

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Guest Wildthing

The old brain isn't functioning well at the moment, but I seem to remember that nematodes were recommended to use for Scarab beetles. In the ACT, they need to be applied at a certain time of year, so imagine it would apply to different areas. Skimmed through the information in the link, but didn't see if they could be used for mites on chickens. However, I am not sure on the life cycle of those pesky little critters. They are carried by wild birds, but also lay eggs on feather shafts. However, they must originate from somewhere along the way as I never had them years ago when I had poultry, but have had them this time around in great numbers! Think I will have to investigate nematodes for them as well as the DE for the ants. This is a very useful informative thread, thank you for starting it - I am learning fast!!! DE is used for cat litter, but I don't use it!

Look over this site, Wildthing.

https://www.greenharvest.com.au/PestControlOrganic/Information/NematodeControl.html

Eelworms is their other name.

:)

Thank you VizslaMomma, I have read that link carefully and it was very interesting indeed. You are never too old to learn and I have certainly learned some useful and interesting things today!

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The old brain isn't functioning well at the moment, but I seem to remember that nematodes were recommended to use for Scarab beetles. In the ACT, they need to be applied at a certain time of year, so imagine it would apply to different areas. Skimmed through the information in the link, but didn't see if they could be used for mites on chickens. However, I am not sure on the life cycle of those pesky little critters. They are carried by wild birds, but also lay eggs on feather shafts. However, they must originate from somewhere along the way as I never had them years ago when I had poultry, but have had them this time around in great numbers! Think I will have to investigate nematodes for them as well as the DE for the ants. This is a very useful informative thread, thank you for starting it - I am learning fast!!! DE is used for cat litter, but I don't use it!

Look over this site, Wildthing.

https://www.greenharvest.com.au/PestControlOrganic/Information/NematodeControl.html

Eelworms is their other name.

:)

Nematodes are a large group . . . probably as many species as, say, carnivores. Some of them are plant parasites and something you don't want to have in your veggie patch . . . as noted in the link above. But there's another group that infect insect larvae.

I found a couple Australian sources, but there may be others.

http://goodbugshop.com.au/zencart/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=46 or

http://www.ecogrow.com.au/How_it_works.html This one seems to be linked to CSIRO and gives clearer descriptions

Yes . . . timing of application matters. They are living animals and require a moist dark soil environment, not roasting but not too cold, to get established. They need to be watered in.

Edited by sandgrubber
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Guest Wildthing

Finally got around to reading those links and boy oh boy, they are very interesting in deed! Just wish there was one that dealt with the ringworm fungus!

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Bought my 20 kg bag of DE today...now just have to work out the best way to apply it to get the ants in the lawn. I hope they have done research on it & it is safe to use. Would hate for it to turn out to be another "asbestos" thing. :( To be safe, I think I will cover up.

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Does anyone have any idea where I might be able to find DE in bulk around Toowoomba(ish) way? Rang Norco up here and they don't have it, phoned another stock food store and they didn't even know what it was :(

We have a house yard that's something like four acres, so need HEAPS of it. Have an uncontrollable flea problem and need to treat the whole yard, driving the dogs insane and absolutely nothing works (on the dogs) to keep the fleas off for more than a day or two. Comfortis works, but only for max two weeks (not the advertised month) and with seven dogs, it's bloody expensive. So hoping to treat at the source with DE.

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Does anyone have any idea where I might be able to find DE in bulk around Toowoomba(ish) way? Rang Norco up here and they don't have it, phoned another stock food store and they didn't even know what it was :(

We have a house yard that's something like four acres, so need HEAPS of it. Have an uncontrollable flea problem and need to treat the whole yard, driving the dogs insane and absolutely nothing works (on the dogs) to keep the fleas off for more than a day or two. Comfortis works, but only for max two weeks (not the advertised month) and with seven dogs, it's bloody expensive. So hoping to treat at the source with DE.

I got mine from Norco Coffs Harbour. They told me that they had only just got it in, so maybe if you annoy your Norco store, they will get some in for you. I got a 20 kg bag for $37. Petstock has it too as does our other Produce store but they only sell it by the kilo & it works out expensive.

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Does anyone have any idea where I might be able to find DE in bulk around Toowoomba(ish) way? Rang Norco up here and they don't have it, phoned another stock food store and they didn't even know what it was :(

We have a house yard that's something like four acres, so need HEAPS of it. Have an uncontrollable flea problem and need to treat the whole yard, driving the dogs insane and absolutely nothing works (on the dogs) to keep the fleas off for more than a day or two. Comfortis works, but only for max two weeks (not the advertised month) and with seven dogs, it's bloody expensive. So hoping to treat at the source with DE.

I got mine from Norco Coffs Harbour. They told me that they had only just got it in, so maybe if you annoy your Norco store, they will get some in for you. I got a 20 kg bag for $37. Petstock has it too as does our other Produce store but they only sell it by the kilo & it works out expensive.

Thanks Sheena. We are good regular customers of Norco, so I will certainly pester them - Coffs Harbour isn't so terribly far from Toowoomba that they couldn't get it in too! Especially being that we are going to need bags and bags of the stuff.

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