Customer wants bag-worms pulled off of four hundred trees by hand.

[hardboiled]

I didn't see any mention of your time estimate. Looks like your expecting it to take each of your "pickers" 20 hours for a total of 60 man hours @ 60.50/hour. If thats right I'd do it too, I suppose. Good Luck with it. I'd be sure to terminate the little buggers before disposing of them. Maybe you can sell them to Fear Factor for the contestants to eat.

[mmlawncare]

Originally posted by hardboiled
Maybe you can sell them to Fear Factor for the contestants to eat.

...ingenious!

[Seascape]

Your to low on the 15' and up trees. Your going to be on each one for a minute. Unless you have 8' arms,,, just moving that ladder all around one isnt worth $15 let alone plucking worms.

I say go 15, and 20. At least.
mike

[hardboiled]

I just had a thought about trying an extended reach pick up tool to pluck the bagworms and save some time moving the ladders. I haven't used one though so I don't know if they grip tight enough to rip them from the branch.

[leadarrows]

hardboiled
I was thinking about that too. If I thought I wouldn't fall on my arrss I would borrow a friends drywall stilts. LOL I may any way. I could add one worker and see if one of the drywall guys I know wants to make a few extra bucks. If I took four people instead of three I might be able to get the job done in two days. Three workers @ $10.00 per hour for 15 hours work is $450.00. $15.00 per hour = $675.00 either way wouldn't be bad.

Seascape


Really? I have been worried all day that I'm too high. I would love to charge that. I really need the work right now. I wish I had a cristal ball. I have to submit first thing in the morning now I'm going to have bad dreams. LOL The ghost of profits lost. LOL

[Seascape]

If you need the work than bid it to get it. Its all labor. You most certainly will make money. Good luck man,,, i hope you do great w/ it.
mike

[justsean]

https://www.entm.purdue.edu/Entomology/ext/targets/e-series/EseriesPDF/E-27.pdf

Just a link so y'all can see this thing and dream of 60 hrs of touching female worms

[mh1314]

Try to sell your customer on spraying with Thuricide. It is used for bag worms in the south. When sprayed on vegatables, they can be harvested the day after spraying. Low toxicity as it effects the worms digestive system. When you tear down the bags any worms that fall will crawl back to the tree and return.

I can't imagine how many times you'll have to climb that ladder, but you're probably be more sore than I was in painting my house.

http://www.biconet.com/biocontrol/btb.html

[leadarrows]

Well here it is the twenty third and I still haven't heard any thing yet. I tried to call him about biding on the other work I spoke of last week before the dead line of the 18th. I left messages at his home # and office. I called each # and left messages two times with no response. I hope hes on vacation or something other wise ..well what I'm thinking is it was so much higher than he expected that he wont even talk to me. Is that just paranoia on my part or do you suppose that could be it? I would like to have gotten the work but if I didn't it just means I'll have the time I need to look for something else. I have been in business long enough to know that if you look at it any other way you'll just freak your self out. LOL This is sunday night maybe I'll hear something tomorrow. Thanks for the help and support. I'll let you all know something as soon as I do.