My opinion is that this living system is in a hybrid place, and we should deal with the bugs as agonistically or cooperatively as you (we) feel appropriate. Personally, I wouldn't want to live with (too many) bugs wandering across my papers and in my computer. (I expect aphids prefer plants.) That's partly why I moved from Atlanta Georgia to a much colder climate ;) The question then is how you / we all inhabit the lab which, to keep on living as a research-creation space and a home for us, must still be free enough from bugs of all types, software as well as arthropod. I confess to hiring, in Atlanta, a professional to come once a month to spray "biodegradable" poison around the house to keep monstrous roaches from penetrating the perimeter. ("They ain't roaches, sir. They're Palmetto bugs!")
Now, in keeping with the spirit of this project and move to a less XinWei-centric reading of the situation, siting these plants in the lab is already a large perturbation from both the forest and LEED building ecologies. The aphid "explosion" if that's what it is, is in fact perhaps an artifact of this mutant siting. So my opinion is that our challenge is not to be "organic" as if there were some edenic state of nature to which we can return, but to improvise a way to put down the aphid population and bring a new dynamic equilibrium that includes how happy our computers, papers, food, and bodies will be together with the plants and critters. If you decide we need to "reset" with a fresh batch of "clean" soil and new plants, that's fine too. The apparatus, to be worthy of the thoughtful effort, should be able to sustain multiple experiments.
At this point, I would like to start engaging more of the TML with the research area including PLSS, so let me cc the tml-active@concordia.ca.
Hope to see you and everyone sometime when I'm back in Montreal June 1-5!
- Xin Wei
On 2010-05-26, at 5:35 PM, Laura Boyd-Clowes <l.boyd.clowes@gmail.com> wrote:
Hi everyone,Last week, Jane pointed out to me that there is a significant insect population making its living in one of our plant boxes. She suggested uprooting the afflicted plants, washing them in soap and water and then re-planting them. I was considering just removing the plants altogether, and the bugs with them. Alternatively, it was suggested that we allow the bugs to take over, and watch closely what happens. In pre-infestation discussions some of you were opposed to spraying any form of pest deterrent. I am sympathetic to this position myself. It is indeed appealing to maintain a 'pure' or 'organic' garden. Needless to say, I have thought for a while about it - perhaps too long, as the aphids have quickly spread to all three planter boxes - and finally decided to lightly spray the buggiest plants with a highly diluted mixture of mineral oil and dish soap. It should work to stop the bugs from migrating to the hanging container, which, incidentally, is bearing delicious string beans! Make sure to pick a couple the next time you visit the lab. Unfortunately, all the other edibles will now have to be thoroughly washed before consumption.Laura--
http://groups.google.com/group/tml-plss/