[Terrapreta] Terra Preta and Ants

[Dr. N. Sai Bhaskar Reddy]

Dear Gerald,

Thank you for explaining things so well  
http://e-terrapretarooftopexp.blogspot.com/. This piece of information 
is helping me to understand the DA properties too.

Dr. N. Sai Bhaskar Reddy

Gerald Van Koeverden wrote:
> Dr. Reddy,
>
> The fines of rice hull ash mixed in with stored seeds are very 
> effective in controlling weevils.  (Rice hulls have a very high silica 
> content.)  The sharp silica structures in the ash scratch the cutinous 
> exoskelton of the first insects to emerge, leaving them to dessicate 
> before they can breed and lay more eggs.  (I was taught this in a 
> weekend course by the Tropical Products Insitute, U.K.)
>
> DE (diatomaceous earth) will do the same because of its silica edges, 
> and is also used for pest control in storing grain.  It is also 
> recommended to add DE to compost for the same reason:  it is not 
> injurious to beneficials in the process like the digestive tract of 
> worms, but will control certain pests that like to colonize compost piles.
>
> Could it be that the charcoal has similar cystalline structures which 
> keeps the insects away...in fear of being scratched to death...?
>
> Gerald
>
>
> <http://e-terrapretarooftopexp.blogspot.com/>
>