Over the last three years I have learned so much about insects. This is a topic I hadn’t given much thought about other than if it was a bug, I wanted it gone. This strong dislike of insects and arachnids all stems from when I was a Girl Scout. We were on a camping trip and our tent was overrun with wolf spiders at night. You guys, they were in my hair and crawling all over my sleeping bag and tent. Trust me, it was terrible just ask my mom and sister. I was also a magnet for mosquitoes and June Beetles.
Anyway, fast forward to 2018 when we started the farm. I’d love to say that I had made peace with the insects, but I hadn’t. Commercial pesticides were my go-to way to protect the vegetables and flowers from insects that would eat their leaves and blooms, but I hated that it was a chemical that would be on my flowers when people bought them and, on our vegetables, when I fed them to my family.
As I have progressed in my knowledge of cut flower production, I have realized that not all insects and spiders are bad, and I made the decision to change from commercial pesticides to OMRI approved products such as Neem Oil and insecticidal soap in order to promote the health of beneficial insects. Due to this change in farming practices, we’ve been rewarded with an increase in beneficial insects and arachnids.
I’ve compiled a list of the top 5 beneficial insects and arachnids we’ve seen an increase of since we started using Neem Oil to help control our pests.
Lightening Bugs are probably one of the favorite beneficial insects here on the farm because we really enjoy sitting on the porch and watching their light show. However, these amazing beetles produce larvae that are great predators, consuming snails, slugs, and possibly worms.
Did you know that there could be as many as one spider in every three inches of undisturbed grassland? According to an article prepared by Candace Hawkins of the Galveston County Master Gardeners, “Spiders are abundant and widespread and, best of all, a natural controller of insect pests. Spiders are beneficial predators and service significant role in keeping populations of many insect pests and check. Spiders are oftentimes the most important biological control of pest in and around your homes, yards, gardens and crops. Spiders use various tactics to capture prey. Web building spiders use their webbing to ensnare; Other species are hunters that actively search for their food. Consequentially, destruction of most spiders should be avoided because without spiders our world would be overrun by insects. And spiders are good source for birds and other smart mammals, especially during winter and spring.” Read the rest of the article here.
Praying Mantis are accomplished hunters that eat other insects including moths, mosquitoes, roaches, flies, and aphids. Did you know they can even eat small rodents?! I know we have these guys in spades because they hatched on a sawhorse we brought inside to hold my daughter’s new saddle. You guys, praying mantis nymphs were all over the whole setup. I was freaking out, you know, because they were in my house and not outside! Anyway, I can happily report that all the praying mantis nymphs made it outside unscathed and will grow into great insect hunters.
I’ve already seen the next beneficial insect in the field this year, they are probably in your garden too as there are more than 3,000 species of assassin bugs. They like to feast on aphids, leafhoppers (that cause Aster Yellows in sunflowers), and caterpillars. Click here to learn more about these amazing insects.
Now we’ve gotten to the Ladybug. Ladybugs, like the praying mantis and assassin bugs, like to chow down on aphids, and other harmful garden pests. What’s even cooler is that they lay their eggs where aphids and other pray are active so the growing larvae can also feed on the insects.
It is my goal to grow our blooms as naturally as possible for you to enjoy, so I guess I have begrudgingly come to like some insects.
Until next time, keep spreading joy!
Jill
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