Thanks
J.W.

The CYPERMETHRIN listed in our CICADA KILLER CONTROL would not be the best option for this application need. Though I don't think the concentrate would be absorbed by the plant enough to pose a hazard, in general this active is not for use on plants that produce fruit or vegetables. Due to the close proximity of the treatment, I suggest opting for something else. Alternatively there are some organic or less toxic products we have which will work fine and still be safe to use around and even on the plants if needed.

The most direct approach would to wait till dark and then dust their open holes with CONCERN DE DUST. Apply it with a HAND DUSTER and you'll get instant control of any wasps in the nest when you dust. In theory you should be able to treat all the nests you have heavily enough to shut them down within minutes of the treatment.

Alternatively you could opt to spray some MULTI PURPOSE INSECT KILLER directly down their nests. If done in the evening when you know they'll be back for the night, the treatment will kill them all on contact as it's poured or sprayed down their nest. In general, if you're thorough enough the first time you treat and carefully get each burrow, you can knock them all out with one application. But if you have 5 or more nests, it will probably take a couple of treatments since they can sometimes hide well or some peripheral nests can be missed.

Here are direct links to the information and products listed above:

Cypermethrin:  http://www.bugspray.com/catalog/products/page519.html

Cicada Killer Control Article:  http://www.bugspray.com/articles99/cicadakillers.html

Concern DE Dust:  http://www.non-toxic-pest-control.com/dust/concern-diatomaceous-earth

Hand Duster:  http://www.gotosprayer.com/dusters/hand-dusters/crusader-hand-duster

Multi Purpose Insect Killer:  http://www.non-toxic-pest-control.com/concentrates/multi-purpose-insect-killer-24-oz

Ideas?

There are many types of beetles and bugs which can wreak havoc in the garden. Some of these are quite persistent. The leaf footed bug is both big and intimidating and there are many species active around the United States. In most cases you'll only see one or two and they won't amass in any significant numbers. But when they do, if they're feeding on any one plant they can have an impact. The good news is you have plenty of options when it comes to controlling local populations.

Based on the fact you stated you're trying to keep an organic garden, I'll limit my suggesting to either the 3 IN 1 SPRAY or the MULTI PURPOSE INSECT KILLER. Both are organic and can be used right up the last day of harvest so they are very safe. But we've found both to be quite active on tough hard shelled insects like the leaf footed bug. Treat every 2-4 weeks once the problem is resolved and you won't see many if any come back. We have seen these two products have a repellency action so they will do a good job of warning bees so they'll stay clear of treated plants too.

Here are direct links to the products mentioned above:

3 In 1 Spray:  http://www.non-toxic-pest-control.com/concentrates/3-in-1-fim-32-oz

Multipurpose Insect Killer:  http://www.non-toxic-pest-control.com/concentrates/multi-purpose-insect-killer-24-oz

We have a few options and I expect one will serve your needs adequately. Here are some suggestions.

The first would be the "strongest" option. It's federally exempt due to the fact that it uses food grade actives and is very safe for use around people and animals. ECO IC is a concentrate that can be used inside and outside the home and will no doubt control all the pests you're likely to encounter. It's not a pesticide but it does act like one in that it kills target insects and supplies a lengthy residual or residue that will remain active for some time.

The second option would be the BUG PATROL RTS. This is an organic spray that can't be used inside but instead is designed for use around the home. It's highly effective on tough to kill bugs like roaches and ants. By spraying once a quarter (every three months), you'd knock down the local insect population and in theory effectively reduce the odds of any coming inside. This approach is actually  much more effective compared to waiting till you see them inside and then spraying where everyone lives. Getting bugs outside the home, before they get inside, is a better approach and this product is one of the best organic options when using this method.

The third option would be the HOUSE PLANT INSECT KILLER. Labeled for use inside the home, on house plants and pretty much anywhere, it's ready to spray (comes in a can) and is very handy to have for spot treating. Use as needed or every 2 months. It won't be the most cost effective material to use if you're house is large but it might have a place in your overall program since it can be used as much as needed, is organic and can be applied on any vegetable plant inside or out in the yard around the home.

Lastly, you could opt for a total non pesticide approach with the pure INSECT REPELLENT. This product is to be used outside only and is mostly used as a paint or stain additive. When used in this fashion, it can repel pests for 1-2 years including all the ones you listed above. When used as a spray, results won't be as long but you should still get 2-3 months of residual. This would be the most "green" option as it's not a pesticide and won't kill anything. Given the location of the home, I'm not sure this will prove effective enough for your needs but it might.

In summary, all of these options are included on this site and considered non toxic when compared to traditional pesticides. Hopefully one of these options will fulfill your requirement. Here are links to the products mentioned above:

ECO IC:  http://www.non-toxic-pest-control.com/concentrates/eco-exempt-ic-concentrate

Bug Patrol:  http://www.non-toxic-pest-control.com/concentrates/bug-patrol-rts

House Plant Killer:  http://www.non-toxic-pest-control.com/aerosols/houseplant-insect-killer-10-oz

Insect Repellent: http://www.non-toxic-pest-control.com/repellents/nbs-repellent-insect-spray

Bees are quite sensitive to insecticides and most importantly, subject to more exposure to insecticides based on  how they behave. Any insect which is mobile and typically likes to land on plants all day long is a prime candidate for some kind of toxin exposure. Compared to other insects like Cave Crickets which live and thrive in dark caverns away from the sun, people and other extreme influences, it's amazing bees, wasps and other social insects are able to live more than a day in our dangerous world. With this in mind, anyone that keeps or cares about bees should make an effort to decrease the liklihood of exposing them to undue levels of pesticide. And one way to do this is to use products which don't last long after they're applied.

The product you inquired about is in fact one such product. Certified for organic gardening, MP INSECT KILLER has a short life span. It has just 1 day to harvest which means it's pretty much gone in a day of being applied. Having a "1 day to harvest" means in one day, crops which have been sprayed with it are suitable for human consumption. Such labeling is only extended to products which break down rapidly. By dissipating rapidly, there is less chance of a toxic exposure to non-target insects like bees since the product isn't effectively hanging around killing everything that lands on it. The mindset here is you're spraying a target insect you see and know about; a good effort on your part should eliminate the real targeted insect and then afterward, within a day, the product used will be gone and the plant can go back to as it was prior to being sprayed. The big plus is that the targeted insect is now gone so that in theory, the plant should benefit (assuming the targeted insect was targeted because it was doing some kind of damage). Plants treated with long lasting residuals can in fact impact hundreds if not thousands of insects during their course of life and if you keep bees, you know exactly what I'm talking about. In general, it's best to avoid using such products unless the situation warrants such applications or the host plant is one bees, wasps and other beneficial insects avoid.

In summary, products like INSECTICIDAL SOAP and MP INSECT KILLER are two good choices if you need to spray around the home, out in the yard, on plants which bees like to frequent. Both products do an admirable job of controlling most any insect and though they won't last more than a day, they won't have a profound impact on non-target insects that aren't causing any damage in the first place.

We now have many organic whitefly sprays great for use in organic gardens. The most common choices for whiteflys include our 3 IN 1 FIM and the MULTI PURPOSE INSECT KILLER. The 3 in 1 is a popular choice because it has an insecticide, fungicide and miticide so you can take care of many problems with just one spray. The Multi Purpose Insect Killer is one of the stronger products we now have so it's a good choice when dealing with something stubborn like whitelflys. We have other organic sprays for most all applications around the home and they can all be seen in our ORGANIC CONCENTRATE PRODUCT PAGE.

Here are direct links to the information and products mentioned above:

3 in 1:  http://www.non-toxic-pest-control.com/concentrates/3-in-1-fim-32-oz

Multi Purpose Insect Killer: http://www.non-toxic-pest-control.com/concentrates/multi-purpose-insect-killer-24-oz

Organic Products:  http://www.non-toxic-pest-control.com/concentrates