There's different strains of Bacillus thuringiensis for different purposes. All are used to control the larvae or caterpillar of the pest moth.
- Bt var.kurstaki is the most commonly used for control of caterpillars or larvae of the Cabbage Moth.
- Bt var.tenebrionis or san diego controls Colorado potato beetle larvae
- Bt var.israelensis is for mosquito, black fly and gnat larvae
- Bt var.aizawai(a new one to me) controls some other various caterpillars/larvae like those from the wax moth and especially the diamondback moth
- Then there's the bacteria that's used in Milky Spore disease for control of grubs (Japanese beetle larvae): Bacillus popilliae and Bacillus lentimorbus.
The three most common you'll find available at retail venues are the israliensis (in the form of "dunks" for mosquito larvae), the kurstaki for the cabbage moth caterpillar and the bacillus' used in Milky Spore disease. I purchase those three strains from my local big box store. But the Bt tenebrionis/san diego (for Colorado potato beetle) I'd only been able to find in liquid form online. I think I last purchased it through Gardens Alive! as a matter of fact.
As gardenz pointed out what you want is Bacillus thuringiensis - Kurstaki, BTK, which is the most commonly available type for leaf munching caterpillers.
The sign of a good gardener is not a green thumb, it is brown knees.
Posts: 2125 | Location: Central Michigan along the Lakeshore | Registered: August 28, 2004
The most common BT product around here is Thuricide, I've not yet seen Dipel in any of the garden shops around here. My local "Best Buy" hardware has some they sell as "Best Buy" that I use since it is less expensive than the other.
The sign of a good gardener is not a green thumb, it is brown knees.
Posts: 2125 | Location: Central Michigan along the Lakeshore | Registered: August 28, 2004
