Recommend me a pesticide - leaf hopper infestation

[Smouser]

Our lawn has been overrun with leaf hoppers.

They are literally sucking the life out of the grass and also makes it unpleasant outside because they are constantly flying/jumping into you.

I have tried the 'normal' insecticides and even aerosols. They laugh it off and probably thank me for spraying them with a cool mist cooling them down during the hot weather.

So far I have tried:
Fly and wasp aerosol
Provanto bug killer
Provanto smart bug killer
Resolva bug killer
Bug clear Ultra
+ A few old random insectides I had in the shed.

None of those did anything to the little buggers.

I think this is a typical case of environmentally friendly/ H&S products that just does not work. A bit like modern paint strippers.


At this stage, I am prepeared to go nuclear. I need some industrial / 'professional' grade stuff so I can nuke them into oblivion. I am so fed up with them, I don't even care if some beneficial bugs also gets it.

Abybody got a recommendation and a place to buy it?

 

[Jelly_Sheffield]

The classic is pyrethrins, which are used in a lot of broad spectrum pesticides (even "organic" ones as it's geranium derived).

Given it's a massive infestation, I suspect the problem may be that you're unable to achieve the application rate the pesticides are designed for (as they're intended for spot application, not awhile lawn) and/or there's a breeding population elsewhere that's uncontrolled and is constantly re-infesting your garden.

Take that into account before spending upwards of £100 on a 2.5L bottle of Monsanto's finest, which is enough to treat hundreds of acres.



I would also caution you to be very careful messing about with "professional use only" pesticides without at the very least thoroughly studying the usage instructions and following them exactly...

They're usually supplied as a concentrate, and many have quite nasty effects on humans or pets (especially if applied in too concentrated a form, or too regularly).

 

[8ob]

Our lawn has been overrun with leaf hoppers.
View attachment 504254
At this stage, I am prepeared to go nuclear. I need some industrial / 'professional' grade stuff so I can nuke them into oblivion. I am so fed up with them, I don't even care if some beneficial bugs also gets it.

Abybody got a recommendation and a place to buy it?

Hoover them up with a billygoat or the like.

Bob

 

[Smouser]

I would also caution you to be very careful messing about with "professional use only" pesticides without at the very least thoroughly studying the usage instructions and following them exactly...

They're usually supplied as a concentrate, and many have quite nasty effects on humans or pets (especially if applied in too concentrated a form, or too regularly).

Thanks.
I will read as much as I can and take precautions. However, as I have said, I am sick of the buggers and desperate times calls for desperate measures.

Time to get the nasty stuff out!

 

[8ob]

Thanks.
I will read as much as I can and take precautions. However, as I have said, I am sick of the buggers and desperate times calls for desperate measures.

Time to get the nasty stuff out!

You wont have a lawn left if you drown it with enough pesticide to kill off leaf hoppers. Try the Billygoat/vacuum first, its effective.

Bob

 

[Smouser]

You wont have a lawn left if you drown it with enough pesticide to kill off leaf hoppers. Try the Billygoat/vacuum first, its effective.

Bob

I don't have a billycoat and I might be sent to an asylum if I crawl around on the lawn with a vacuum

It is an option. Thanks.

 

[Smallfry]

I don't have a billycoat and I might be sent to an asylum if I crawl around on the lawn with a vacuum

It is an option. Thanks.

My mum used to hoover the lawn of conifer droppings !

For the pedantic, it was using a genuine Hoover machine, a Constellation. Which TBH I wish I still had.

 

[Erie Fred]

I don't have a billycoat and I might be sent to an asylum if I crawl around on the lawn with a vacuum

It is an option. Thanks.

It's a leaf vac. used by landscapers all over.
Rent one for a few hours.

Leaf & Litter Vacuums | Billy Goat

Billy Goat has an all-inclusive line of leaf, litter and debris vacuums, making property clean-up easier than ever.

www.billygoat.com

Do your neighbors agree to your chemical overages ?

 

[Smouser]

This looks promising.....

RGV Lambda 1l | Farm Marketplace

Lambda is a quick-acting insecticide that controls various crops and public health pests. Order online to ensure effective removal of unwanted weeds.

www.marketplace.farm

It has got all the signs of a good product.

3 X death signs.

Vs

No death sign.

And

One measily death sign.

 

[Mikes]

My mum used to hoover the lawn of conifer droppings !

For the pedantic, it was using a genuine Hoover machine, a Constellation. Which TBH I wish I still had.

Still got my grandmother's Constellation. Used to frighten us as kids as thought it was related to a Darlek.

 

[Kram]

How long is the grass? How big is the lawn?

I remember as a child our neighbouring house was vacant for ages - Irish guy got into loads of debt then did a runner back to Ireland. It was absolutely infested with them, meter high grass, they loved it.
As soon as new neighbours cut it, they disapeared.


I imagine a mower with collection box or a decent strimmer that will mulch them, could be effective.

Nuclear option is to cut the grass short as possible collect/rake away all of the cuttings and torch the surface. Grass wont take long to grow back but anything above ground is dead.

Nematode worms that eat the eggs could be another option. Very effective against slugs and some flies.

 

[Morris]

Lots of methods before you start exterminating whole chunks of your local biosphere.

 

[Greeves246]

Organic

Cover a piece of stiff card with grease or contact adhesive and hold it above the infected plants while lightly brushing the foliage with your other hand. The disturbed leafhoppers should become stuck to the card and can then be disposed of.

 

[Morris]

RHS advice

Management​

• Often leafhoppers do not affect the growth or vigour of plants and so can be tolerated, they are part of the biodiversity a healthy garden can support
• Encourage predators and other natural enemies of leafhoppers, in the garden, such as birds, ladybirds, wasps and ground beetles

 

[Jelly_Sheffield]

My mum used to hoover the lawn of conifer droppings !

For the pedantic, it was using a genuine Hoover machine, a Constellation. Which TBH I wish I still had.

Ever since I first saw one (in a museum) I have really wanted one of those, it's just so ridiculously cool to have a hover-hoover.

 

[Smouser]

How long is the grass? How big is the lawn?

Grass is kept short. Mowed every 3-5 days. Our lawn is tiny, 5 metres x 6.5 metres. All the more reason for it to be an enjoyable space to be in.

The lawn is getting watered regularly as we like a nice green lush lawn.
I think that is half of the problem, all the bugs travel to our watered lawn as it seems like most of the neigbours don't water their lawns and with the heat, their lawns are looking a little worse for wear.

RHS advice

Management​

• Often leafhoppers do not affect the growth or vigour of plants and so can be tolerated, they are part of the biodiversity a healthy garden can support
• Encourage predators and other natural enemies of leafhoppers, in the garden, such as birds, ladybirds, wasps and ground beetles

"Often leeafhoppers do not affect the the growth or vigour.

I call BS. Maybe in small leafhopper numbers it is not noticeable, but they still cause damage.

In my case they cause yellowing and death of grass blades. Not to speak of the annoyance of them jumping and flying into us. They are pests.

I have noticed a massive increase in ladybirds over the last two weeks. However, they don't stand a chance agianst the thousands upon thousands of leafhoppers.

The leafhoppers need to go!

 

[Seadog]

I'd second nematodes.

 

[Jelly_Sheffield]

The lawn is getting watered regularly as we like a nice green lush lawn.
I think that is half of the problem, all the bugs travel to our watered lawn as it seems like most of the neigbours don't water their lawns and with the heat, their lawns are looking a little worse for wear.

And therein lies your problem.

Even with copious amounts of insecticide, you will likely continue to have the problem, and because they will always come back, you risk producing resistance in the population of insects from repeated applications.


Grass is uniquely susceptible to this, because with crops at least, there's dessication, harvest, & cultivation to break the cycle, and the possibility of rotation if you just really can't shift a pest...

Whereas "Amenity Grassland" like lawns, is by design always grass so if you create an unkillable bug population, you have really **Language**ed it.


For this reason, most of the "amenity grassland" approved pesticides are very clear than you should use several different types with different active agents in rotation if one treatment doesn't remove your problem...

For instance you could use "Sven" (seriously it's a pyrethrin based pesticide) and alternate with "Aphox".


I appreciate they're really annoying, but it's entirely possible that by fighting an unwinnable fight, you could make it worse...

If you can get your neighbours in on it, then maybe there's a better chance of success?

I don't want to encourage you, but if you are determined to go down this route, it's better for everyone that you don't end up actively making things worse.

This post brought to you by one too many meetings talking about "Responsible CARE" with CEFIC, or "product stewardship" with CropLife.

 

[Kram]

Photos please, lawn, of the infestation, and a close up of one of the critters

How many do you imagine are within your 5 x 6.5m lawn?

Do any neighbours have long grass?

 

[Smouser]

The grass looks much better on photos than in real life.

However, you can see the dead grass leafs where they have been sucking them dry.

Grass looks good. From afar....

Here is one I watched suffer and die when it landed on the lathe's backsplash I painted today.

Finger for scale

How many do you imagine are within your 5 x 6.5m lawn?

Thousands. They are tiny, they don't keep still so I can't count them .
If I spray with a hose and sprayer, they get disturbed and fly/jump up.