The focus should be in control rather than complete annihilation. Control means that the farmer simply reduces the number of insects rather than kills the entire populations of insects. For example, in the control of wasps, a farmer can utilize a wasp trap. Insects are so important in farming that a new trend of bug hotel is growing. Another good option is to utilize biological predators in your farm by using certain attractants in the garden. The biological predators will reduce the population of the annoying insects leading to a perfect balance of insects and their predators.
The following are the main insects in many gardens regardless of whether it is an organic or inorganic gardening.
1. Green lacewing
Lacewings should be called race wings — they work fast, going flat-out eating (or rather sucking dry) hundreds of bugs and their eggs. It is the lacewing larvae, which are most predatory, and their favorite targets are aphids, whitefly, leafhoppers, mites, mealybugs, scale insects and some moths and caterpillars.
2. Ladybugs
Often called Ladybeetles or Ladybirds, ladybugs look just the dearest ladies, waddling along in their pretty spots.
But they have a roving eye and will desert you for another!
Even if you buy them, don’t always expect to find many around when you need them. Green lacewings are a safer buy.
Any faithful ladybugs you have are true beneficial insects and devour aphids, scale, mealybugs and other small soft-bodied insects. They soon clean up the aphids on a plant… if fact you can carefully move ladybugs around your garden if you wish. As long as they are well fed, they will stay true to you.
3. Parasite Wasps
These are tiny wasps quite unlike big yellow-striped bullies that sting. Parasitic wasps are divided into many species and the adults feed on nectar and pollen.
That’s why it’s a good idea to plant flowers near your vegetables to encourage these little winged creatures.
The family of Chalcid wasps includes Trichogramma , which kill the eggs of the moth species Lepidoptera, such as codling moth and others, which turn into ravenous caterpillar pests. Other Chalcid wasps and wasps from the Ichneumon and Braconid family kill many of the pests that eat or suck plants.
4. Slaters
Talk about community living, their abundance knows no bounds. Slaters, also known as woodlice, sowbugs or pill bugs, generally ignore green plants, preferring decayed damp material. They are sensitive to hot, dry conditions and will die of dehydration if exposed too long, especially in their young molting stages.
Slaters are beneficial insects in that they help breakdown organic matter, but if there is a population explosion, they have been known to dine on ripe, soft fruits touching the soil, such as strawberries, and very occasionally plant root Slugs.
5. Spiders
It would be rare to find anyone that holds spiders in deep affection… more like fear and loathing. Respect would be the best way to look at spiders and avoid them if you can but benefit from their predatory insect feasting in your garden and house.
Their value as natural pest control providers is mammoth and calculations have shown unbelievable amounts of insects are trapped and killed by spiders.
Sourced from: http://www.no-dig-vegetablegarden.com/beneficial-garden-insects.html
The benefits of insects to a gardener are unparalleled especially for a farmer who has information and understanding. Here are some of the benefits:
1. Insects aid in the production of fruits, seeds, vegetables, and flowers, by pollinating the blossoms. Most common fruits are pollinated by insects. Melons, squash, and many other vegetables require insects to carry their pollen before fruits set. Many ornamental plants, both in the greenhouse and out of doors, are pollinated by insects for example, chrysanthemums, iris, orchids, and yucca.
2. Parasitic insects destroy other injurious insects by living on or in their bodies and their eggs. Insects also act as predators, capturing and devouring other insects.
3. Insects destroy various weeds in the same ways that they injure crop plants.
4. Insects improve the physical condition of the soil and promote its fertility by burrowing throughout the surface layer. Also, the dead bodies and droppings of the insects serve as fertilizer.
5. Insects perform a valuable service as scavengers by devouring the bodies of dead animals and plants and by burying carcasses and dung.
Sourced from: http://www.mastergardenproducts.com/sustainablelandscape/beneficialinsects.htm
More importantly, it is best to control rather than use chemical insecticides and pesticides to kill insects. The problem is that apart from the insecticides being poison to your food and land, they also cause the insects/ pests to evolve and become resistant making it impossible to control them especially chemically.
Still not convinced? Another reason to go natural and use beneficial, is that a greater number of insects are now showing resistance to chemical pesticides. For example, in a controlled laboratory experiment, fruit flies were exposed to DDT – a banned pesticide. The research found that not only did the pesticide not kill them, but also the fruit flies had developed a way to metabolize it! That is, the “super” flies could use the pesticide as food. Now that’s kind of scary. Watch for “Revenge of the Fruit Flies” coming to a theater near you.
Pesticide resistance is not an isolated problem. About 500 insect species now show resistance to conventional pesticides.
Sourced from: http://www.planetnatural.com/beneficial-insects-101/
