After effect of termite treatment on papaya

papaya and termite

Termites attack hurts both papaya tree and myself. A click on termites attacking papaya plant.
, will see the extent of attack and the way I deal with it. I really don't wish to get too involved with the way Nature impose death on plants and trees. But this is too hurting to see healthy papaya tree being bored by termites. After a week or so, the stem is showing every indication that the dateline has been fixed, and death is imminent.

I really don't want to meddle with life and death the way Nature wants it to be. I am just a gardener... ordinary and insignificant. But i do enjoy every little slice of ripe papaya, and few plants surely enjoy the shade provided by the exotic foliage of papaya.

the trunk of papaya

We know so little about plants and pests, 

and what nature has in store

for their existence 

within the perimeter of 
biodiversity....

bangchik

Taxation on cucumber.

our cucumber plants

The two plants are growing at a reasonable pace.  The leaves are big and very green. We have cucumbers sowed and planted concurrently with bitter gourds. But bitter gourds are well ahead. Now little bugs are coming in for a feast on slow growing cucumber. They start off from the edges. I wish I know their name...

 bugs on cucumber leaves

they work outside in....

nature 

has imposed taxation 

on cucumber leaves

bangchik

termites attacking papaya plant.

We plucked 4 papaya.

 nest at papaya lower stem

 nest at papaya lower stem

termites

 termites

little holes at the stem

I suspect termites has got into the stem. Papaya has hollow stem.

 The plant is very tall, almost to the roof.

Papaya and Termites

I have seen termites nest at the lower part of papaya stem. The nest was fresh and it was easy to scrape them off using stick. Then there were termites running about. I sprayed them with shelltox, the ordinary mosquito repellent.  The next day, the nest would be built again. After a couple of hide and seek game, i went over the hardware shop and ask for termite poison. A medium sized bottle at RM13.00. The next day, We did a final hide and seek game with the termites as shown in the photographs.

I dont think the plant will last for much longer. Termites are just agents for death. The plant is really changing now, a general weakening process is taking place... That morning we plucked 4 mature papaya. That would probably be the last mature papaya we could harvest. The death is imminent.

Some info about termites

 There are about 3,000 species of termites. Termites are small, pale, soft-bodied insects that live in a nest or colony system. They feed primarily on wood. They have numerous castes which are relatively undifferentiated and perform much of the colony work. There is a specialized soldier caste with stronger head and jaw features and often with mouthparts that are more suited to defense than to feeding. The reproductive caste is produced when nymphs mature to develop wings and generally have a darker coloring. Termites are very weak fliers, and their wings are shed shortly after nuptial flight. Their heads are rounded, their antennae are beaded, and they generally do not have eyes, except those in the reproductive caste. (click here for full: Termite Control)

 bangchik

a rugged trail.

 

 

 

 

 

8.am. Quite early in the morning, but too late for a snail to get home. I quickly grabbed the camera, to snap a few. I really didn't want to miss this. The trail  was fairly rugged for a snail, going through the grass, and there was a sudden change in the surface. A soft, wet green switched abruptly to a hard, dry concrete. The snail, recoiled for a short while, thinking either to go on or to get back. Huh..., it was quite focused on the journey. "I must get home..., and it isn't far"...

But I just wonder, why was the poor guy late in getting home....... Got lost, keptsearching and yet couldn't  get enough food or it overstayed for one more plate ..?  ... The snail is a regular visitor here. I don't know where it's home is... probably under the rocks or coconut husks. Snails are okey, but once they show slightest indication of their naughtiness by chewing marigold's shoot and young leafy veggies, I will get mad!

How's snail in your garden?

~bangchik

Putrajaya, Malaysia.

Why call it grasshopper?

 look at the eyes

 

 

the guy hiding

 

the remnant of senduduk leaves

 

 

 

 

It was quite late for my normal camera time. 6.30pm. But I noticed an interesting creature locally known as "belalang kunyit". Belalang is grasshopper. Kunyit is tumeric....... it is like saying a yellow grasshopper. I think belalang kunyit is the biggest among grasshoppers over here ....... about the size of  normal thumb and the length of normal middle finger.... sorry for not giving the dimension in metric. (haha)

I know, this little guy had been chewing the leaves of senduduk. Look at the remnants!!.... I never see this guy hopping around and definitely not on grass. But why call it grasshopper?....

~bangchik

Putrajaya, Malaysia

Too much for marigolds to handle.

I haven't got much time lately for a meaningful gardening.. that crucial half an hour in the morning and evening. Then suddenly I saw these at the upper end of vegetable bed ... Heartbreaking indeed. I pull them out, push into a plastic bag to be taken away by garbage lorry.

Out of the many, two plants stand ground. I really want to see how the two plants fare..... I guess some are stronger than others to survive in a world where food chain is a way forward , where one will eat another. These are marigolds at the upper end of veggie bed, those at the lower end are doing fine and those recently trimmed marigolds at Walkway Bed are seen sprouting little side branches.

My late Mother
called these white things bena

Chilies looking for safe EXIT.

I never have chili plants continue to stay healthy after the first harvest. Leaves then begin to wrinkle. But the flowers continue to sprout everywhere. But I cant be expecting much from the second round of harvest... It doesn't matter much.

Pests or for the lack of nutrients or simply suffering from old age?

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Kakdah has already suggested a few vegetables to take over the space occupied by chilies . For now, we just let chili plants continue growing and soon will retire peacefully.

Caterpillars and my veggies.

How two caterpillars had a great feast. Two plants were affected, so each caterpillar had a plant to itself.....

It is quite fascinating,
how caterpillars assembled their droppings
in a neat pile
one on top of another
like pyramid.

they do that on purpose to intimidate me?

The trail of a snail

I have been seeing this mark, very visible in the morning and at night too... It is like dots of aluminium paint... If I pop out and have a look around 9pm or 10pm I will never miss the sight of trails made by snails...... They eat the leaves of our french marigold, on daily basis. It is a battle of wits, man against snails!!!, over french marigolds... haha... They have consumed not less than twenty of our baby 4 inches tall marigolds!!... I keep on germinating and planting.... I havent given up yet.

So far, we had not gone to the extent of using poisonous baits yet.... Something like 30 - 40 little snails had been hand-picked from their cool resting place and destroyed... Yes, we are fighting sovereignty over this little vegetable garden and the marigolds .... Over months, we are still here, and they are still here too, snugging under rocks and pots and come out and rule the night!

night shot
without flash.
lighter part at the front is due to the street light.


Updates


Update: I suppose thats the last marigolds, snails will chew.
I had place the poison pallets
sround the rest of marigolds.
So Lets See. ........