any insecticide recipes for strawberries?

[johnjf]

my strawberries are still producing but everytime there close to turning red and ripe little tiny bugs eat at them leaving holes here and there in the strawberries. Does anyone know of any home made insectide recipes so I can spray my strawberries to keep them off or does anyone know what I can do to keep them away?

Thanks

[DonnaZn2SK]

Do you see the actual bugs? Sometimes it's bird doing the pecking. I'm not sure whether homemade remedies, ie one made with garlic, dishsoap and cayenne, would impart a taste in the fruit, if it is even effective.

I would be more inclined to cover the strawberries rather than spray them, especially when you are close to eating them. Strawberries are one of the crops that are recommended to buy organic because of the higher levels residual pesticides.

I was watching a Youtube video from a Florida gardener...she made little mesh socks to cover some of her tomatoes (because of the birds). It might not be worth it for strawberries.

[johnjf]

I have bird netting over my strawberries and yes I caught the bugs eating at it a couple days ago. There were 2 or 3 skinny tiny black looking bugs.