Beneficial and Pest Insects and Tips

[darthslater]

I am going to suggest JT make this its own thread and be added to the main board.

[jcm05]

It is its own thread. And a good one at that. I don't follow.

[darthslater]

I mean put it on the boards like TOW,The outhouse, Tomato Discussion etc etc

[leftylogan]

Apr 22, 2011 14:59:22 GMT -5 @darthslater said:

I mean put it on the boards like TOW,The outhouse, Tomato Discussion etc etc

aka a sticky

[swampr]

Apiaceae in bloom are better than average at attracting parasitic wasps, examples are dill, coriander, parsley.

hyssop is said to be a good one to limit damage from cabbage loopers

nasturtiums in bloom will repel squash vine borers.

radishes in bloom for cucumber beetles

[veggie maker]

Fantastic photography!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Thanks for taking the time to find these guys ... Great Idea! I've always wondered what a parasitic wasp looks like and didn't know there were different shapes.....

[willyswoodpile]

Japanese Beetles really love rose flowers.

[peppereater]

For those who don't know, it's the juvenile ladybugs that eat the majority of aphids. They look creepy to people with aversion to insects (wish I had a picture handy), kind of like the lacewing larvae above.
I have found that when I grow sunflowers (every year,) the aphids are heavily attracted to the foliage, starting with the lower foliage and working up. The mother ladybugs go nuts laying eggs on the sunflowers, and in no time the garden is full of ladybugs. While a population of aphids will remain on the sunflowers, the ladybugs virtually eliminate all the aphids from the rest of the garden.

[peppereater]

One caviat...assassin bugs are very beneficial. Unfortunately, it takes an experienced eye to distinguish them from shield bugs (one of the many types of stink bugs.) Stink bugs are a nightmare in my tomato patch. Again, no pictures close at hand, I'll go through my albums or simply steal some pics from google images and post later.

[papito]

Not sure if The Garden Safari will fit in the topic above.

To attract butterflies to your garden, see recipe below.
[Courtesy of Tanganyika from Filipino Forum]

The Butterfly Brew Top Secret recipe:
6-8 pieces of ripe bananas (much better if over-ripe bananas)
1 can of beer (any kind)
2 cups of sugar (white)

Blend together (in a blender of course!) for 2 to 3 minutes or until the bananas are liquefy. Store in a container and keep them cool.

Put some out in a log or on a tree trunk. Butterflies really like gross and yucky stuff, even carcasses and manure!

[jcm05]

Great thread Hawk.

[lee]

Check this link out as well for your identification needs.

cipm.ncsu.edu/ent/biocontrol/goodbugs/tachinid.htm

This list contains the 10 most wanted insects (literally!) It gives
good images and descriptions of these 10 beneficial insects.
Also, there is a link to beneficials vs. look-a-likes.

Very helpful to use when scouting which bugs to squish and which
to nurture!

Lee

[amideutch]

Check out the below site. Ami

www.rinconvitova.com/

[bradeen]

No doubt some kinds of insects are beneficial for us like honey bees and many other related insects.Every kinds of insect are not harmful ad dangerous. Above posts prove these things.