Beneficial Beasties.

[Gerard]

I have been aware that if I avoid spraying chemicals, insect populations can sometimes control themselves. I have heard that spiders and mantids feed on pests such as mites and aphids and lady bugs are especially good but I have no idea what they eat.
While cleaning and pruning a healthy buxus this week I have found one lady bug, one spider and one preying mantis. I have not seen the spider since I removed its web, the lady bug has also disappeared and the mantis looks fatter.
Perhaps some insects should occasionally be relocated to other trees.

[MJL]

... and the birds and frogs sit in waiting ... the fat mantis looks yummy


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[terryb]

I have been aware that if I avoid spraying chemicals, insect populations can sometimes control themselves. I have heard that spiders and mantids feed on pests such as mites and aphids and lady bugs are especially good but I have no idea what they eat.

Correct, however, if the predator/prey balance is not good, the pests tend to build up to large numbers before the predator numbers increase, which tends to send most people heading for the insecticides. Lady bugs eat aphids, white fly and probably a bunch of other things. I never see large numbers of lady bugs at my place - my aphid control comes from predatory wasps.

If I could find a predator to handle the webbing moth caterpillars, I'd be set.

[TimS]

Agree that predator numbers rarely control outbreaks, or not quick enough to do so before my trees have been hammered.

I try not to spray at home because I do enough of it at work that getting into masks/ gloves and goggles doesn’t really appeal on my own time. Usually I end up doing a preventative in late winter to kill anything before bud swell, then when the aphids move in on mass for the new shoots I end up spraying 2-3 times rotating chemical modes of action and groups so the aphid don’t build up resistance. By summer they are gone and I don’t see them again until the following spring. I get a little bit of Red Spider Mite, but I don’t usually spray for it as there isn’t any particular effect on the plants. A little bit of caterpillar damage too, but nightly inspections of suspect damage and removal by hand takes care of that.

Once my aphid sprays are done, I try to avoid spraying and let the spiders move back in again. They take care of most pests, and aside from rampant powdery mildew in late summer on my JM that I get every year, I don’t have too many issues.

[Gerard]

[Beano]

I found that having dill planted and allowing it to flower seed it covered in ladybugs and I used to frequently find lady bug larvae amongst our potato, sweet potato and carrots. I move lady bug larvae to different places around the garden when I find them.


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[KIRKY]

I think Wally’s bottom left of centre.
Cheers
Kirky

[Pierre]

I do wish we could have a bug to eat thrips... It's a nightmare every summer in my Benjis... I am not expending anymore in this department, it's just not worth it I feel....
Pierre

[Gerard]

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[melbrackstone]

https://blog.csiro.au/scientists-fear-i ... Xxf6qupblo
From the CSIRO....apparently insects are in decline...