The front lawn at home has been devastated by what we think is
leatherjackets.
Trouble is no garden centre seems to have the stuff to get rid of them.
Any thoughts on how to clear the lawn affected (its about 2 metres by 1
metre so quite small - neighbour similarly affected).
Thanks
Pete - Leicesterhire

In article , Pete
writes
The front lawn at home has been devastated by what we think is
leatherjackets.
Trouble is no garden centre seems to have the stuff to get rid of them.
Any thoughts on how to clear the lawn affected (its about 2 metres by 1
metre so quite small - neighbour similarly affected).
Thanks

The nematodes (I think) that are sold at various places (often in Garden
Centres) as a sort of "voucher" which you send off and subsequently get
the things delivered with instructions. I think that you then water
them on the lawn at the appropriate time (when the leather jackets are
active and the grass is growing again?)

I've heard that they are quite effective but haven't needed to use them
myself. My m-i-l has an infestation (of ljs on the lawn) and has just
got some - she's awaiting the right time, which from memory, might be
June?

--
regards andyw

"Pete" wrote in message
...
The front lawn at home has been devastated by what we think is
leatherjackets.
Trouble is no garden centre seems to have the stuff to get rid of them.
Any thoughts on how to clear the lawn affected (its about 2 metres by 1
metre so quite small - neighbour similarly affected).
Thanks
Pete - Leicesterhire


I think starlings are the chief predator for these, so instead of chemicals
try breadcrumbs, cooked rice - and patience. It takes them a while to see a
new feeding place :-)
Lol

Have a look in here you might find something to help.

http://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profiles0402/chafer.asp

"Pete" wrote
The front lawn at home has been devastated by what we think is
leatherjackets.
Trouble is no garden centre seems to have the stuff to get rid of
them.
Any thoughts on how to clear the lawn affected (its about 2 metres by
1 metre so quite small - neighbour similarly affected).

I've heard leatherjackets can be brought to the surface by watering if
the soil's not already moist, covering the grass with something to
exclude light, e.g. black polythene sheet, and leaving it overnight.
Next morning you can lift the sheet off a bit at a time and catch them
before they burrow back down out of the light again.

--
Sue

"Sue" wrote in message
reenews.net...

"Pete" wrote
The front lawn at home has been devastated by what we think is
leatherjackets.
Trouble is no garden centre seems to have the stuff to get rid of
them.
Any thoughts on how to clear the lawn affected (its about 2 metres by
1 metre so quite small - neighbour similarly affected).

I've heard leatherjackets can be brought to the surface by watering if
the soil's not already moist, covering the grass with something to
exclude light, e.g. black polythene sheet, and leaving it overnight.
Next morning you can lift the sheet off a bit at a time and catch them
before they burrow back down out of the light again.

--
Sue



I have never seen a leatherjacket but someone told me that it is them that
the crows feed on on golfcourse.
They cant be very big so how or in what does one catch them?Sorry if this
sounds a bit stupid but I am interested.

Tab wrote:

I have never seen a leatherjacket but someone told me that it is them that
the crows feed on on golfcourse.
They cant be very big so how or in what does one catch them?Sorry if this
sounds a bit stupid but I am interested.

This is the first one google threw at me:

http://www.dgsgardening.btinternet.co.uk/leatherj.htm

There's no scale on the image, but they're about 3cm long, I'd say.

james

"James Fidell" wrote
Tab wrote:

I have never seen a leatherjacket but someone told me that it is them
that the crows feed on on golfcourse.
They cant be very big so how or in what does one catch them?Sorry if
this sounds a bit stupid but I am interested.

This is the first one google threw at me:

http://www.dgsgardening.btinternet.co.uk/leatherj.htm

There's no scale on the image, but they're about 3cm long, I'd say.

Yes and they look a bit like a dingy brown caterpillar. Another page on
the same site gives a handy scale:
http://www.dgsgardening.btinternet.co.uk/insects.htm - scroll down
towards the end.

When I said 'catch them' I didn't mean to make sound as if they might
run off at high speed!
I haven't tried the technique with plastic sheet but I should think you
just pick them off the grass and dispose of as you see fit. Starlings
also apparently think leatherjackets are a gourmet meal so perhaps put
'em on the bird table.

--
Sue

This is what they look like;

http://thegardenersalmanac.co.uk/Mis...r%20jacket.htm

Click on picture to enlarge it!

"Pete" wrote in message
...
The front lawn at home has been devastated by what we think is
leatherjackets.
Trouble is no garden centre seems to have the stuff to get rid of them.
Any thoughts on how to clear the lawn affected (its about 2 metres by 1
metre so quite small - neighbour similarly affected).
Thanks
Pete - Leicesterhire


Hi Pete the leatherjacket will do considerable damage whether the starling
feed on them or not as the leatherjacket eats the root system of your grass
There is a spray called crossfire which prvents the eggs from hatching and
is safe to other wildlife in your garden.
I suggest you visit your local groundsman or greenkeeper and ask if you can
buy some from them
a lawn that size u can apply it with a watering can
good luck

"pied piper" wrote
There is a spray called crossfire which prvents the eggs from hatching
and is safe to other wildlife in your garden.
I suggest you visit your local groundsman or greenkeeper and ask if
you can buy some from them a lawn that size u can apply it with a
watering can

The hazards info does state it's very toxic to aquatic life though, so
you'd have to be very careful near any ponds etc. I'm not totally
against using a chemical product if it's (relatively) safe and there's
no other good way, but for such a small area of grass it seems like
going way overboard just for a few leatherjackets. Is Crossfire
available to the general public? Just a thought, but if not, one might
be asking a greenkeeper to break the law by supplying it.

--
Sue

"pied piper" wrote
There is a spray called crossfire which prvents the eggs from hatching
and is safe to other wildlife in your garden.
I suggest you visit your local groundsman or greenkeeper and ask if
you can buy some from them a lawn that size u can apply it with a
watering can

The hazards info does state it's very toxic to aquatic life though, so
you'd have to be very careful near any ponds etc. I'm not totally
against using a chemical product if it's (relatively) safe and there's
no other good way, but for such a small area of grass it seems like
going way overboard just for a few leatherjackets. Is Crossfire
available to the general public? Just a thought, but if not, one might
be asking a greenkeeper to break the law by supplying it.

--
Sue

"Sue" wrote in message
reenews.net...

"pied piper" wrote
There is a spray called crossfire which prvents the eggs from hatching
and is safe to other wildlife in your garden.
I suggest you visit your local groundsman or greenkeeper and ask if
you can buy some from them a lawn that size u can apply it with a
watering can

The hazards info does state it's very toxic to aquatic life though, so
you'd have to be very careful near any ponds etc. I'm not totally
against using a chemical product if it's (relatively) safe and there's
no other good way, but for such a small area of grass it seems like
going way overboard just for a few leatherjackets. Is Crossfire
available to the general public? Just a thought, but if not, one might
be asking a greenkeeper to break the law by supplying it.

--
Sue

not breaking the law if the greenkeeper sprays it for you and holds a pa60
or equivalent.
Household bleach detergent and cooking oil also harm aquatic life but you
have them at home.
BEWARE NET POLICE

"pied piper" wrote
"Sue" wrote
The hazards info does state it's very toxic to aquatic life though,
so you'd have to be very careful near any ponds etc. I'm not totally
against using a chemical product if it's (relatively) safe and
there's no other good way, but for such a small area of grass it
seems like going way overboard just for a few leatherjackets. Is
Crossfire available to the general public? Just a thought, but if
not, one might be asking a greenkeeper to break the law by supplying
it.

not breaking the law if the greenkeeper sprays it for you and holds a
pa60 or equivalent.
Household bleach detergent and cooking oil also harm aquatic life but
you have them at home.

Fine, but you didn't say that to start with, you said "ask if you can
buy some from them" and "apply it with a watering can" which implied a
DIY use. I was merely pointing out that a greenkeeper might have reason
to be reluctant to hand over chemicals that he didn't know would be
used, stored or disposed of correctly, since it might land him in
trouble should something go wrong. You also said "it's safe for other
wildlife in your garden" which is apparently not true for ponds.

I'm perfectly aware that no end of common household products would be
harmful to aquatic creatures, but then people don't usually spray them
liberally around on their lawns hoping to kill a few leatherjackets, do
they. Sometimes chemicals are useful; sometimes they're just overkill.

BEWARE NET POLICE

I hope you're feeling in a better mood soon. There was no need to be
rude.

--
Sue