 We are constantly surrounded by insects, and they compete with us
for just about everything. There are insects that bite on us and
some that suck our blood. There are insects that eat our food, eat
our crops and even eat our homes. And if you aren't creeped out yet,
there are even bugs that live on our skin.Even though they are
all creepy and alien-looking, not all insects and bugs are our
enemies. There are a few that actually benefit mankind, especially
in the garden, and recognizing them and promoting their colonies can
help us reduce the amount of pesticides we use, protect our crops
and animals, and be more healthy.
THE LOGAN COUNTY 10 MOST WANTED (bugs):
10. The ladybug
In Logan County we are well aware of the presence of ladybugs,
especially if you live anywhere near a farm field. Ladybugs, also
called lady beetles and ladybird beetles, spend their whole lives
eating the bugs that eat our plants, especially aphids and
whiteflies. Ladybugs come in both orange and red dotted varieties.
They begin their lives hatched from eggs to become small,
alligator-shaped larvae. Here in the county, we also have those
Asian ladybugs that were imported to specifically eat the aphids and
scale insects that infect soybean fields; we know those because they
bite us, too!
Regular ladybugs are so good at controlling plant pests that you
can buy them by the half-pint from companies such as Planet
Natural — approximately 4,500 ladybugs for $26.
http://www.planetnatural.com/product/live-ladybugs/
9. The green lacewing
The common green lacewing adult doesn't do much for people, but
their kids are the real heroes. The kids, known as "aphid lions,"
eat many different garden pests, including aphids (which suck the
life out of plant leaves and stems), mealybugs and thrips. You can
also buy green lacewing eggs from Planet Natural at
http://www.planetnatural.com/
product/lacewing-eggs/.
8. Fly predators
Besides mosquitoes, the insects that bug us the most have to be
FLIES. Swat them, spray them, even trap them, and there are always
more flies than we can control, especially late in the summer.
Happily, there is a tiny, parasitic wasp called the zaraptor that
controls flies by laying its eggs in the fly maggots. The eggs hatch
and eat the fly pupae from the inside out. You can order the
zaraptor wasps from
http://www.planetnatural.com/
product/fly-parasites/.
7. The Trichogramma
With a $10 name, the Trichogramma is also a tiny, parasitic wasp,
but this one lays its eggs in the eggs of more than 200 species of
butterflies and moths — you know, the ones that are pretty when they
are flying around but nasty when they are munching the leaves of
your vegetable garden plants, such as the infamous cabbage worm. The
Trichogramma last only nine to 11 days, but during their short life
they short-circuit the caterpillars that devastate our flower and
vegetable gardens.
http://www.planetnatural.com/product/
trichogramma-wasps/
6. Predatory mites
The sixth on the most-wanted list combats a pest that is
difficult to control and eradicate: spider mites. Spider mites can
damage garden plants and indoor plants, and they are an especially
damaging greenhouse pest. Predatory mites eat the eggs of spider
mites and help control outbreaks. Consider spraying with
insecticidal soap prior to releasing predatory mites, to give them a
leg up.
http://www.planetnatural.com/product/
predatory-mites-spidex/
5. Whitefly parasites
Whiteflies can quickly get out of control in a garden, especially
if there is less than average rainfall. Both the adult and young
whiteflies dwell on the undersides of leaves, and the adults fly off
when disturbed, making a white cloud of tiny flying insects. When
you reach the cloud state, your garden is in serious condition.
Whiteflies are especially attracted to verbena, lobelia and tomato
plants. The most effective biological control for the whitefly is
another of the tiny, parasitic wasps, called Encarsia formosa. Old
formosa is attracted to the scent of the honeydew produced by aphids
and whiteflies, and it feeds on the body fluids of both adult and
larval whiteflies.
http://www.planetnatural.com/product/
whitefly-parasites-en-strip/
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4. Mealybug destroyers
Mealybugs are gross and nasty. They make small nests that
resemble white, cottony patches on the leaves and stems of our
garden and indoor plants. Inside those gooey patches, the mealybugs
hide, lay their eggs and suck the life out of our plants. The
mealybug destroyer is a small, reddish-brown beetle with dark brown
wing covers. They get to be only about a fifth of an inch long. They
voraciously feed on aphids, scales and especially mealybugs in the
greenhouse, interior plantscapes, orchards and ornamental gardens.
http://www.planetnatural.com/product/
mealybug-destroyer/
3. Predatory nematodes
Living in moist, dark environments, predatory nematodes are the
dragons of the insect world. Predatory nematodes are merely
microscopic in size, but they attack and kill almost all pest
insects.
Beneficial or predatory nematodes hunt at the root zone, in the
thatch of lawns, around the crowns of garden plants and even up into
corn tassels. Being so small, predatory nematodes burrow into
invading insect pests and eat them out from the inside. More details
about predatory nematodes are available at
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/in468.
2. Damsel bugs
These sleek predators stalk their prey all over the plant, from
root to flower, and devour aphids, small caterpillars, thrips,
leafhoppers and other pesky, detrimental bugs. Damsel bugs are often
collected from farm fields with insect nets and moved to the home
garden.
1. The praying mantis
The praying mantis is a very interesting bug. And they get quite
large — up to 5 inches long at maturity. They are beneficial to
humans because they grab and eat just about any insect that is in
their path. They look like something from another planet. Kids love
watching this quirky insect and often collect them and feed them
bugs in a jar. The praying mantis is the king of predatory insects
because they are so voracious. You can buy their egg cases at
http://www.planetnatural.com/
product/praying-mantis-egg-cases/.
A final note about using beneficial insects:
Beneficial insects are our friends because they eliminate the bad
bugs. In order to let them do their job, we need to first become
familiar with them and not squash them like a pest under our shoes
or between our fingers (ick) when we see them. And, like all
insects, they are killed by the same pesticides that kill insect
pests. So, when we use predatorial insects to help maintain our
gardens, we need to hold back the bug-killing sprays that we used to
use. The best approach is to use more than one kind of beneficial
insect to help control the pests.
If you have an interest in knowing more about beneficial insects
and the environment, watch for programs at Creekside, the new
Lincoln College Outdoor Center for Environmental Education. Dr.
Dennis Campbell, an environmental enthusiast, oversees the center,
which includes an insectarium.
[By JIM YOUNGQUIST]
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