Welcome to Gardeners Way
 |
Organic Gardening Beetle Article
This is a selection made from among articles on Organic Gardening Beetle. For a permanent link to this article, or to bookmark it for future reading, click here.
Organic Gardening Beetles
from:The main weapon of organic pest control is the organic gardening beetle. Many insects and bacteria feed primarily on pests. They are a very attractive alternative to chemical pesticides sprayed over plays to eliminate pests. However, these pesticides kill the natural fauna in the soil too. Some of them are very beneficial for the growth of the plant. In addition, the extremely harmful side effects of the chemical sprays can be avoided by using the insects and the bacteria. Some of the organic gardening beetles provide a broad protection to the harmful pests whereas others affect some specific pathogen only.
The ladybug, also known as the lady beetle or the ladybird, devour a variety
Of pests like the aphids, leaf worms, mealy bugs and mites. They reproduce several times in the hot weather. They are enormous eaters and devour as many as 20-30 aphids in a day in their larval stage. On attaining adulthood, their appetite doubles. These organic gardening beetles are available in packets of 10,000. They migrate rapidly once they have eaten up the insects. Hence, it is advisable to release a few of them at a time. Release them at the base of the infected plants after every three or four weeks.
The praying mantis, a relative of the grasshopper, is an indiscriminate glutton. It uses its powerful legs to catch and eat up any passing insect. They are know to attack aphids, beetles, caterpillars and even frogs and lizards. It is a born marauder and preys immediately on aphids and flies. They are sold in their egg cases. These golf ball sized cases hatch to produce as many as 400 insects in a few days. For an average sized garden, two or three egg cases are ample.
Some of the other useful pests are lacewing larvae that attack aphids, mites, thripes, leafhoppers and white flies. The adult lacewing is about ½ inches to ¾ inches in length and gets its name from the lace like wings. The larvae are an ugly creature that is very effective pest killers. In their lifetime of two weeks as larvae, they continuously feed on aphids and other insects. As an adult only a limited varieties feed on insects.
There is a bacterium called the Milky Disease Spores that attacks the larvae of Japanese Beetles. These bacteria turn their blood milky white halting their progress to adulthood at the larval stage only.
These organic gardening beetles and other insects and bacteria are available at the organic gardening supply stores. A good organic gardening supply of these insects can keep the garden pest free and healthy.
Related Articles for Organic Gardening Beetle
Organic Gardening Beetle News
The Root of it All: Controlling Colorado potato Beetle
I enjoy gardening and plant potatoes. Every year I have potato beetles and haven’t been able to get rid of them. I’ve tried picking them off, different sprays, and dusting products, but they lay eggs under the leaves and it won’t kill them — they multiply quickly and destroy the plant. Is there any preparation product that I can include in the soil or any product you know of that will do the job ...
Read more...The Root of It All: Japanese beetle invasion
Your last article talked about insect control in the garden, but emphasized aphids. I am wondering if you can help me save my plants from the new Japanese beetle that has plagued us for the past couple of years now. My wave petunias and beans, among other plants, have been eaten by these beetles. And with the mild winter, I can only guess that these beetles will be even worse this year. Is there ...
Read more...The sharp end: pestilence and plague in the garden
Stephen Lacey offers advice on how to deal with disease and infestation in the garden.
Read more...A hedge for all seasons
Sam Vincent explores some of Australia's finest gardens on a leisurely circuit of the Mornington Peninsula.
Read more...