A close look at a congregation of aphids sucking the lifeblood out of a favourite plant is so revolting it will send any gardener scurrying to the pesticide shelf. But wait – what are those translucent little maggots wriggling among the viscous mess of aphids?
Equally repugnant in appearance, the tiny maggots are larvae of hover flies, those little wasp-like creatures that hover and dart about in straight lines. After much nuptial hovering, the adult female lays her eggs directly amid an aphid colony. Hatched out, her offspring are voracious predators and set to gorging themselves on nearby aphids. Lady beetle larvae, which resemble tiny alligators, and aphid midge larvae, which look like miniature orange maggots, are so good at eating aphids, they’re sold through commercial insectaries. A common ladybird beetle may consume more than 2,000 aphids in its short life. These are high-profilebeneficial insects, a class of creeping, crawling and flying creatures that are coming into prominence in better gardens everywhere. They are changing how gardeners feel about bugs, reminding us that pest insects – infuriating aphids and cutworms, whiteflies and cabbage moths – are a rogue minority, far outnumbered by beneficial species.
Some beneficials help out by pollinating flowers or breaking down organic matter, but the gardener maintains a special affection for bugs that prey on pests. Their numbers and their strategies are legion, and their identities sometimes surprising. Lacewings, for example, are delicate creatures with gossamer wings that cluster at porch lights on warm summer nights. They look more like ballet dancers than back-alley bruisers, yet their larvae are called “aphid lions” because they’re so ferocious in devouring aphids as well as spider mites and other pests.
Looking for pest control service in Fresno? Visit Pest Control Fresno Parasitic beneficials have a charm all their own. Several species of small parasitic wasps are expert at ovipositing their eggs into pest caterpillars, whiteflies and aphids. The developing wasp larvae devour their host from the inside out. The larvae of tachinid flies parasitize tent caterpillars, cutworms and corn borers. Beetles offer the bug-conscious gardener a particular challenge because there are thousands of species, some, like the Japanese beetle, that are garden pests, while others are beneficials. Even within a generally benign beetle family like the ladybeetles, you find a black sheep, the nefarious Mexican bean beetle. Rove beetles and ground beetles are great at suppressing pests. Rove beetles have elongated bodies that allow them to move swiftly through soil in search of root maggots and grubs. You can often spot a ground beetle in the garden, large and stocky with a shiny black back, living under a rock or board and quick to scurry for shelter if disturbed. They hunt by night, preying on root maggots, slug eggs, cutworms and other undesirables. Murderous assassin bugs, pirate bugs, ambush bugs and scores of others – the yard is swarming with beneficials, all of which need help with their deadly work. Attracting and maintaining their populations is serious business – you can buy all the cartons of ladybirds you want, but they’ll soon fly away home if conditions aren’t right.
Shelter, food and water are essential. Some of the plants most useful to beneficial insects are common weeds – stinging nettle, Queen Anne’s lace, goldenrod, dandelion and wild mustard. A “wild patch” in a hidden corner, or even a brazen display of beautiful wildlings like Queen Anne’s lace, will help.
Herbs – dill, parsley, catnip and thyme – produce small flowers ideally suited for tiny nectar and pollen feeders. Alyssum, candytuft and other small-flowered annuals are good too. Coneflowers, yarrows and daisies are recommended perennials. Water must be available. Have wet spots, or place stones or plants in shallow bowls, so that tiny beneficials can alight to drink without drowning. Gardening with beneficials is full of gratification but never instant. These legions of diminutive allies take time to do their lethal work. With patience and foresight, the bug-smart gardener will eventually reap the rewards of a garden buzzing and humming with congenial insects.
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