The juice from rhubarb leaves, boiled up & strained, is supposed to make a good natural insecticide too, just don't use the boiling pan for food again!
Nettles contain methanoic acid (formic acid)- that's the irritant / insecticide. But rhubarb leaves contain mainly oxalic acid & malic acid. Oxalic acid is quite toxic! As far as the wasps go, I think there is plenty more around for them to find. Malcolm -----Original Message----- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of robert luis rabello Sent: 18 April 2006 21:44 To: Biofuel@sustainablelists.org Subject: Re: [Biofuel] Nettle Juice bob allen wrote: > Robert, > nettles contain histamine-like compounds which cause serious irritation > to tissues of higher animals. I wonder if your steep would be useful as > an insect antifeedant on garden plants? That's an interesting possibility. I wonder what a foliar spray of nettle juice would do to the aphids that have infested my trees in years past . . . (Ah, but then what would happen to the predatory wasps?) > BTW, I like milkweed buds similarly prepared- they're a little like > brussel sprouts. Really? I haven't seen any milkweed around here, but I think your Gulf Coast climate is warmer than the one I live in. Thanks for the advice! I'm going to give it a try! robert luis rabello "The Edge of Justice" Adventure for Your Mind http://www.newadventure.ca Ranger Supercharger Project Page http://www.members.shaw.ca/rabello/ _______________________________________________ Biofuel mailing list Biofuel@sustainablelists.org http://sustainablelists.org/mailman/listinfo/biofuel_sustainablelists.org Biofuel at Journey to Forever: http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html Search the combined Biofuel and Biofuels-biz list archives (50,000 messages): http://www.mail-archive.com/biofuel@sustainablelists.org/