Environmentalists have created the new conscientiousness that drives the individual to take responsibility for their own personal habitation.  We have become keenly aware of the health risks and environmental issues surrounding the use of pesticides.  Mass annihilation of bugs through spray, not only eliminates the bad bugs but also kills all the good insects, beneficial soil bourn bacteria, birds and many small ground dwelling reptiles.  The run off from private homes and lawn pesticide use is a major contributor to the high pollution that contaminates our lakes and rivers.  We must all endeavour to control the substances we use and make every effort to minimize the environmental damage.

 

Pest control, through pesticide use, is often a necessary evil.  Many insects pose risks that far outweigh the dangers of responsible pesticide use. Insects can affect our quality of life in many different ways. Pests can represent a threat to public health and the environment as well as create significant negative impacts to the economy if they are not efficiently controlled.  Stern government policy ensures that commercial use of pesticides are kept to a minimum and used under strictly regulated conditions.

 

In hydroponic gardening practices pesticide use is discouraged and usually not necessary.  Pests tend to attack weak or unhealthy plants.  Hydroponically grown plants, though not immune, are usually more pest resistant than those grown in soil.  The plants grown in hydroponics are generally stronger and healthier than their soil grown counterparts because they are fed their exact nutritional requirements in a carefully controlled environment.

Natural preventative measures against infestations are implemented in most hydroponic systems.  Companion planting is one method commonly used in hydroponic cultivation.  This is where crops are intermixed with plants that act as pest deterrents for the primary crop.  For example you may see marigolds between rows of herbs in a greenhouse.  Many bugs that are attracted by certain herbs are turned off by the smell of the marigolds. Minimal pesticide use is one of the major selling features for hydroponically grown produce.  However, there are those tenacious bugs that will feast on anything no matter what means are used to discourage them. 

Biological insect control is a method of pest management through the introduction of predator insects to reduce or eliminate harmful, crop damaging bugs.  Introducing natural enemies of crop eating predator insects into a garden is a safe and poison free way of controlling bugs. Natural predators will feast on the damaging species until there isn't enough to eat and then will die off or leave in search of more food.  This cycle happens naturally in an outdoor environment but often times the predators arrive too late to save the crops. By manually releasing commercially bred predator insects into a garden, infestations of destructive, plant eating bugs can often be eliminated upon detection or avoided all together.

 

Most predator insects are carnivorous and will not harm plants.  Being strictly meat eaters they will search out other bugs to eat.  Most predators have a voracious appetite and will consume many times their weight in harmful bugs daily.

KNOW THE EMENY

A weekly visual inspection of plants will help determine if there are any silent pests lurking.  Check carefully under leaves, around stems and in the surrounding growing medium or soil for any visible sign of the enemy.  Find out the type of insect that is evident and how many plants are affected. The number of bugs, size of the area they cover and size of the infestation will establish how best to eliminate them. 

 

Identifying what type of pest has taken up residence in your garden is important in deciding what type of predator to release.  Inexpensive garden microscopes are useful in determining exactly what type of bugs you're dealing with.  There are many handy reference books available that will aid in the identification of good and bad insects.

 

Non toxic yellow sticky cards are useful for trapping or monitoring fungus gnats and many other flying insects including aphids, thrips and whitefly.  The bright yellow colour will attract the insects where they will adhere to the sticky surface.  The cards are best used for early detection of infesting pests, they will not entirely eliminate a species.

 

Large infestations will require more aggressive interventions.  Manually removing as many of the destructive invaders as possible will make the job easier for the predators.  Small 'Dust Buster' type vacuum cleaners work well to remove many small flying insects and mites. A plant wash of diluted household dish soap and water sprayed on plants will also help deter many pests. Hand picking larger bugs and slugs is quite effective and slimy too!  (Surgical gloves work.)

 

Small to medium infestations can usually be controlled by the introduction of beneficial insects. Immediately upon detection of the harmful bugs, or as soon as possible, introduce the predators into the affected environment.  Quick intervention is crucial to controlling the infestation and managing the impact it has on the garden.

 

It is vital to keep the environment  favourable to supporting the beneficial insects and allowing them to do their job.  Never release predator insects into an area treated with pesticides as they will succumb to the toxins designed to kill the pests.  Many biological insects will not survive if the temperature is too hot or there isn't an adequate source of water or shelter.  There are many native flowers that will attract and keep predators in your garden all season long.

 

Some of the most common predators used are as follows:

 

LADYBUGS - General Predator
Hippodamia convergens

  LADYBUGS quickly stop aphid damage to keep your plants healthy and beautiful. Be sure to water the area before releasing your ladybugs. Placing a small dish of water in your garden will help keep not only ladybugs but native insects close to your plants especially in soaring heat. Bugs need water too!!! Adults are orange and black beetles that feed on aphids, mites, scales, thrips, whiteflies and beneficial insect food. Eggs are white or yellow ovals and laid in clusters. Larvae are black and orange alligator shaped.

 

APHIDIUS COLEMANI & A. MATRICARIAE - Aphid Parasite
 Aphidius colemani & A. matricariae
Small black wasp (2-3 mm.) with narrow waist and long antennae. Adults parasitize aphids turning them into brown, mummified shells on undersides of leaves. Aphidius life cycle takes 2 weeks. Colemani are shipped as mummified aphids and matricariae are shipped as pre-fed adults. Optimum Conditions 18-26C (65-80F).

 

PRAYING MANTIS - General Predator
Tenodera aridifolia sinensis
Adults are large green or brownish insects with papery wings. Shipped as egg cases that contain 50-400 eggs. Egg cases can take 2 to 8 weeks to start hatching. Once an egg case starts hatching it takes about 2 hours. A general predator that feeds on aphids, beetles, caterpillars, chinch bugs, colorado potato beetles, leafhoppers, hornworms, leafrollers, squash bugs, thrips and whiteflies.

 

LACEWINGS - General Predator
 Chrysoperla carnea, C. comanche & C. rufilabris
Adult lacewings are green or brown in colour and the larvae are brown. General predators that eat mealybugs, scales, spider mites, thrips, whiteflies, and insect eggs. Eggs are available on "hangable" cards. Adults can be released to fly and lay eggs for longer control. Larvae in individual compartments in a frame and used for faster control and accurate placement. Optimum Conditions 24-28C (75-80F).

 

PHYTOSEIULUS PERSIMILIS NEW ZEALAND - Spider Mite Predator
 Phytoseiulus persimilis New Zealand Strain

Bright orange mites (0.5 mm./1/20 in.), and larger than two-spotted mites. Persimilis breeds twice as fast as the spider mites to provide a fast knock down. These mites do not form webs, but use webbing to move along the plant to capture the spider mites. Optimum Conditions, 22-35C (72-100F), 60-80% humidity.

APHELINUS ABDOMINALIS (Parasite)
 A. abdominalis
ADULT: 3mm (1/8") black wasp. Lives for 60 days parasitizing 5-15 aphids/day. Adult also feeds on aphids and honeydew. EGG: 1000 eggs/female are laid inside aphids for 3-4 days. Hatch in 2-3 days. LARVA: Grows and eats inside an aphid for 3-4 days. Turns aphid into mummy (dark shell) on underside of leaf. PUPA: Non feeding stage, in a cocoon inside the aphid for 7 days. FEEDS ON: Greenhouse and potato aphids.

 

NOTE: Large number of offspring and long life of female make this an especially useful control.

STETHORUS PUNCTILLUM - Spider Mite Predator
 Stethorus punctillum
Small (0.85 mm./1/30 in.), black lady beetle. The larvae are grey in colour with many hairs. Both adult and larva feed on spider mites. Optimum Conditions 5-40C (40-100F) 60-90 humidity.

Release Rate: 100 per infested plant for 3 weeks and will establish a colony.

 

APHIDOLETES APHIDIMYZA - Aphid Predator. Aphidoletes aphidimyza
  Adults are tiny fly-like midges that are only active at night. The midges search out Aphid colonies by scent and once a colony has been located Aphidoletes lay their eggs beside it. The Larva hatch in 2 - 3 days and will kill more aphids than they can consume if aphid populations are high. Optimum Conditions 21-28C (68-81F).

 NEMS - Larva Parasite
 Steinernema feltia

Beneficial Nematodes are natural microscopic parasites (worms), that infest & kill more than 250 different pest larva. 90% of all insects spend at least part of their life cycle in the soil. All types of Beneficial Nematodes are very simple to use - mix with water and apply to infested area. Best applied twice per season. The nematodes will infest and kill their prey within 24-48 hours, continuing to reproduce. The young will seek out new hosts to infest

 

Nems control fungus gnats, black vine weevils, mushroom flies, craneflies, sciarid larvae, thrips and other pest larva in the soil. Nems become inactive at temperatures below 10C (50F) or above 30C (86F)

There are thousands of potential pests waiting to inhabit your garden and for every one nature has provided at least one natural enemy.  When divine intervention is not quick enough, manual intervention is often necessary. Giving nature a helping hand by introducing commercially bred biological control agents provides a safe, non-toxic alternative to chemical pest treatment.  

Taking responsibility for your personal environment by eliminating dangerous pesticides and herbicides from your gardens and lawns will go a long way in reviving our global ecosystem.  Striving for a balanced environment, where predator and prey work in harmony, will encourage wellbeing in your garden and ensure goodness from all it produces.