From: Steve Marak <samarak at arachne.uark.edu> on 1997.06.16 at 15:32:44(850)
Re the first of these two highly unrelated topics, Kay Lancaster posted an
excellent reply to Park's question on Alpine-L, where it was also posted.
She mentioned several chemical controls (a Bacillus thuringensis variety
effective on some species, a B. spiricus for another, and an insect growth
regulator called methoprene).
Mosquitoes don't much bother me here in NW Arkansas, as I grew up in
southern Arkansas and visited my grandparents in the rice fields of
eastern Arkansas, where they have REAL mosquitoes more like the Gulf Coast
B-52 variety. However, my wife, whom mosquitoes seem to find particularly
toothsome and succulent, expresses a deep desire to hear more about
practical experience with any of these. Have any Aroiders used Vectobac or
Mosquito Dunks in water gardens or water-filled seedling trays? (This is
the B. t. variety.) How about Altosid (the methoprene trade name)?
I'd also be interested in experience with dragonfly larvae, another
biocontrol that Kay mentioned.
On to my second topic, digital plant pictures, which Roy Herold's note
brought to mind. Is anyone else using a digital camera for these, and if
so would you care to compare notes? Cathy and I are putting together the
web page for the Arkansas Native Plant Society, and it occurred to me that
we could cost-justify the camera on film savings alone. So far it is
wonderful - I have become a True Believer.
I can now capture an image that when printed on a high quality color
printer on glossy paper in 3x5 is essentially photo grade, yet have it on
the computer within moments of taking it. If, when viewed on the monitor,
it is no good, I erase it with no film cost. In many cases, it seems to
produce superior images to those we take on film and scan later,
especially where there is considerable lighting contrast in different
parts of the picture. I'd love to hear from others who have played with
these - if the topic is not of general interest, we can discuss it
privately.
Steve
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