Beneficial garden ladybugs for controlling pests in your garden are the most popular and widely used beneficial insects for commercial and home use. Ladybugs are capable of consuming up to 50 to 60 aphids per day but will also eat a variety of other insects and larvae.
You can read more about the benefits of ladybugs and other safe biological pest control HERE.
This site was fascinating to me because it introduces ways of controlling many types of pests including white grubs, ants, fleas, mosquitoes, gnats, grasshoppers, crickets, and many other garden pests with organic compounds such as Beneficial Nematodes. Beneficial Nematodes are live microscopic organisms (non-segmented round worms) that occur naturally in soil throughout the world. They are parasitic to insect pests that typically have a developing (larval or pupal) stage of life in the soil; however, they have been known to also parasitize above ground stages of adults, nymphs and larvae.
How Do Nematodes Work?
After application, the nematodes immediately get to work. Upon finding a pest, they enter it through various body openings or directly through the body wall. Once inside, the nematode releases a toxic bacterium which kills the host larva within 24 - 48 hours. The bacteria creates a food source and a hospitable environment for the nematodes to reproduce. As the food resources within the dead pest become scarce, the nematodes exit and immediately begin searching for a new host.
Beneficial Nematodes are available at Valley View Farms, or online .
How are your gardens coming along? Lettuces, Peas, Kale, Asparagus, and other Spring vegetables should be available for harvest now if you have planted them. How do you like to fend off insects?
Just a few shots of my garden.
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