We carry this product for earwig damage in the garden (it is the only
product we know that will kill them). IPM, least toxic first, we recommend
creating
better drainage, debris cleanup, and newspaper traps. I am concerned,
and, please help me on this one, that any insect killed by DE, and them
eaten by birds will be deadly (or, at least harmful) to birds.

Wings,
Jane

Jane Stewart & Neil W. Burkhardt
McComb Road Nursery
751 McComb Road
Sequim, WA 98382-7882
360.681.2827 t
360.681.7578 f
mailto: info at mccombroadnursery.com
WWW address: http://www.mccombroadnursery.com


----- Original Message -----
From: "Mike Patterson" <celata at pacifier.com>
To: "Tweeters" <tweeters at u.washington.edu>
Sent: Friday, July 16, 2004 2:43 PM
Subject: Diatomaceous earth in your nest box


> This was in the most recent issue of Juournal of Field
> Ornithology. I thought it might be useful to those concerned
> about nest box parasites.
>
> Dawson, Russell D. 2004. Efficacy of diatomaceous earth at
> reducing populations of nest-dwelling ectoparasites in Tree
> Swallows. J Field Ornithol. 75(3):232-238
>
>
> ABSTRACT. Nest-dwelling parasites are known to have detrimental
> consequences for many birds, and thus it may be desirable for
> management practices to remove these parasites. In addition,
> manipulation of parasite loads is often necessary for studying
> host-parasite evolution. While there are various methods that are
> effective at reducing parasite loads in nests, many of them
> have shortcomings because they require specialized equipment,
> are time consuming, or involve toxic substances that may be
> dangerous to both birds and researchers. I evaluated the efficacy
> of simple-to-use, non-toxic diatomaceous earth (DE) at reducing
> ectoparasite loads in nests of Tree Swallows (Tachycineta bicolor)
> over two field seasons. Diatomaceous earth significantly reduced
> population sizes of bird fleas (Ceratophyllus idioms) and various
> species of blow flies (Protocalliphora spp.) in both years.
> Diatomaceous earth appeared to be more effective at reducing
> the numbers of fleas, possibly because fleas have smaller body
> size and so are more easily desiccated by the abrasive action of
> DE. Although DE was effective against both fleas and blow
> flies, it did not completely rid nests of either type of parasite.
>
> --
> Mike Patterson
> Astoria, OR
> celata at pacifier.com