Bacillus thuringiensis

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justmeLisa Brewers, KY(Zone 6b) Jun 20, 2002

Someone told me you can make this yourself. Is that true? I know what it is and how it works, but I didn't know if you can make it. Does anyone know?

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Horseshoe Efland, NC(Zone 7a) Jun 21, 2002

Hehehe....yep, I used to make it yrs ago before I knew it was available on the market (or maybe it was before it was made available).
Gather some worms(caterpillar)...the easiest to use are cabbage worms and loopers. You want to look for the ones that actually look sick. They'll look sometimes chalky white, sometimes they'll be hanging down from the bottom side of the leaves. (They'll eventually turn black and get mushy.)
Collect some, liquify, and make a spray of them. (Half cup of bugs, add two cups water and blend/liquify. Strain thru cheesecloth or a good strainer to get the chunks out. This is your base. When you use it you should cut it with 4 to 8 parts of water. Can also store the base by freezing.)

Sometimes this is considered "nuclear polyhedrosis virus" and not necessarily Bt. However, once the caterpillars are sprayed with a commercial Bt I don't see why you can't collect them and use them as your "starter" for a definite source of Bt. (All this now keeping in mind that there are many forms of Bt now available.)

Have fun

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Wingnut Spicewood, TX(Zone 8b) Jun 21, 2002

A caterpillar smoothie?! Ewwww! I'm gonna' try it. Thanks, you two!

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justmeLisa Brewers, KY(Zone 6b) Jun 21, 2002

ha! thanks shoe for the info. I'll pass it along!

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tiG Newnan, GA(Zone 8a) Jun 24, 2002

ew, yucK!! I was eating!! LOL! choked on my popcorn

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Wingnut Spicewood, TX(Zone 8b) Jun 24, 2002

Sorry, tiG... *grin!*

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tiG Newnan, GA(Zone 8a) Jun 25, 2002

hehehe!!!

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MaryE Baker City, OR(Zone 5b) Jun 25, 2002

Remember to wash the blender after you liquify worms. (As if we could forget).

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MaVieRose High Desert, CA(Zone 8a) Jun 27, 2002

nice info on this url ... http://www.ag.usask.ca/cofa/departments/hort/hortinfo/pests/bt.html

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evelyn_inthegarden Sierra Foothills, CA(Zone 8a) Jul 22, 2002

Would this make ALL the butterflies in your garden die? Except for cabbage butterflies, which are SO destructive, I really enjoy watching the butterflies. Moths, nothing but pests, but butterflies...swallowtails, coppers, blues, monarchs, calif. sisters....in your smoothie??

Post #308517
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