Re: CULT:Beneficial insects
- Subject: Re: [iris-talk] CULT:Beneficial insects
- From: D* K*
- Date: Thu, 4 Apr 2002 18:05:46 -0500
>have found that simply providing a loose mulch and planting companion
>flowers significantly reduced the damage to broccoli plants. The main
>predators responsible were spiders, which hid in the mulch from their own
>predators. The flowers attracted and fed predatory and parasitic wasps and
>bees, which attacked cabbage worms and other pests. The key to using
>generalists seems to be in building up very large populations, something
>difficult to do with introductions.
This is my favorite form of pest control. A wide variety of
companion plantings to attract native predators, be that insect,
bird, spider, you name it. My favorite predator to watch is the
praying mantis. Although on a cool spring morning nothing beats the
dew drops in the dawn sunlight on a spider web. I hate spraying with
chemicals because I don't want to harm the good bugs or the birds.
I remember a couple years ago when I was freaking out over these
"evil" looking "bugs" that were all over my LA irises. Turned out
that they were ladybug larvae. Scary looking critters to be sure,
but extremely beneficial!
--
Dennis Kramb; dkramb@badbear.com
Cincinnati, Ohio USA; USDA Zone 6
http://www.badbear.com/dkramb/
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