Garden Insects and Pests
Like it or not, insects dominate the earth. Their numbers are in the
billions upon billions. Insects are found virtually anywhere on the planet,
and the species number in the tens of thousands. Fortunately for us gardeners,
any one area has a minute subset of the insect species and population.
If you are an organic gardener, you learn natural controls and a bit of
semi-peaceful co-existence. To those who can't stand bugs, and commercial
growers who depend on a good crop for a livelihood, there are effective chemical
controls for most common pests.
Did You Know? Some insects are beneficial and eat harmful insects.
Good examples are Preying Mantis and Ladybugs who both love to munch on aphids.
Get the lowdown on:
Cicada
Slugs and Snails
Squash Vine Borers
Insects and Pollination:
Before you go ahead with your plan to apply a general purpose insecticide
and annihilate the insect population in your garden, make sure you know what
you are doing. Insecticides do not discriminate. Most insecticides are equally
effective, and will eliminate bees and other beneficial insects along with
the ones are trying to eradicate. The result can effectively wipe out the
bees you need for proper pollination. Did you know that you many of the insects
you are eliminating are also pollinators? If you wipe out the bees and you
wipe out the insects, pollination will be poor or non-existent.
We recommend the following steps to an effective insect control program while
maximizing pollination:
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Follow the directions on the label. Don't not apply moe frequently or heavier
than recommended.
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Spray in the early morning or just before dark when the bees are not out.
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Stop spraying a week or two prior to the pollination period, and while
pollination is at it's peak.
Did you Know? You can hand pollinate many plants. This increases fruit
and vegetable set ,when pollinators are at a minimum.
Caution: Always, always, always follow the safety directions on the
label. And, keep young children away during and after spraying.
Beneficial Insects and Animals:
While many people think of insects as pests, there are a variety that are
beneficial in your garden as they consume other, more harmful insects. We
all know that a ladybug brings good luck. To a gardener this is doubly true.
Lady Bugs eat aphids, and lots of 'em. In addition, there are many other
beneficial bug eating bugs.
For more information, see:
Beneficial Insects Identifies and describes insects which are good for
your garden. These insects help by eating other, harmful insects.
In addition, there are animals that help to keep down the insect population.
Among them are snakes, frogs and toads, and a variety of birds, most notably
the Purple Martin and bats!
Did you know? Some people create habitats for bats in a very successful
endeavor to keep down the insect population.
Valuable Links:
Organic Insect Control Why expose yourself and
your family to harmful chemicals in your own garden and yard?
Insect Pest Management a great resource. Lists by insect.
Pesticide
Information Profiles (PIP's) Offers a good description of individual
pesticides, what they do, and their risks.
List of Bugs This is among the best on the net.
Featured Creatures
Another really buggy place, this one by the University of Florida.
Slug and Snails
Vegetable
Insects
Insect
and Related Pests of Vegetables look up insect problems by vegetable.
Pests
in the Garden
Did you know? There are more insects in the world than all other creatures
combined! There are literally trillions of them.
More Information:
Buy Pest Netting- Protect against Cicada, birds,
deer an other pests. |
