zIl

ts¡Iì

NATURE'S OWNPEST CONTROL:

ENEFICIALHere's the inside story on ltoa the rigltt "bugs" can do battle

airh the bad guys in your garden

BY JACK COOK

INSECTS

The Chìncse þrøyång mantìs, ìntroduced ín th¿ Uníted Statesøbout 80 yeørs øgo, eats anything åt cøn catch.

gardens. ¡.uropean corn

-borers, alfalfa caterpillars, cut-

o call the Trich-ogramma wasP"tiny" is like call-ing Mt. Everest

"above average." Half adozen Trichogrammascould perch comfortablyon the head of a pin. Thewasp's wingspread is aboutone-fiftieth of an inch.

Despite its size, theTrichogramma looks fiercewhen you magnify the littlemonster. Its eyes glow adangerous red, and the yel-low markings on its shinyblack body give it the sleeklook of a jet fighter. Luck-il¡ this wasp is so tiny that itposes no threat to humans.In fact, it even lacks the"true stinger" that make itslarger cousins such an out-door worry.

It does, however, pose agreat threat to many mem-bers of the insect world-especially one distinct typewhose members are amongthe lea,st welcome in our

During the course of herbrief life-nine to I Idays-the Trichogrammawill parasitize some 50 eggsin this manner. And sincemany of those 50 offspringwill themselves become fe-males, this beneficial armycan muster quite a fewtroops over a summer.

The Trichogramma is aprime example of what wecall a beneficial insect.(Those that dan't benefit uswe call pests.) [t's worthnoting that of all theknown species of insects,only about I percent arewhat we would considerpests. It's also worth notingthat for every pest insect,there are several beneficialsthat will prey upon it.

Controlling pests withbeneficials is an ancientpractice. The Chinese putbugs to work for them cen-turies ago. Even in thiscountry the practice datesback more than 100years-to 1883-when an-

worms, cabbage loopers, codlingmoths, tomato hornworms and waxmoths are but a handful of the 200species of destructive moths andbutterflies whose eggs are the

Tricho gramma's victims.Upon finding such an egg, the

adult female wasp deposits one ofher own eggs. This little gift soonhatches into a wasp larva that. con-sumes the pest egg surrounding it,

other tiny wasp, Aþønteles glomcra-/ru, was released in great numbersin California to control the im-ported cabbageworm. Six yearsafter that, the first really spectacu-lar success occurred. The hero was

36 oRGANICGARDENING

an insecr that looks a bit like a lady-bug: the vedalia beetle.

By t!9 mid-l880s, a sucking in-sect called the cottony cusñionscale-it produces a cotton-like

gation revealed that the scale hadcome to California from Australia,where it existed in such small num-

oticed. Naturalin check.Department of

Australia ro search Fj: äî'3:"::mies and bring'em back alive. OnOct. 15, 1888, he found the vedalia

g on the scale insectseral packages of liveto California. Thevin rwo badly infesteá

portant side effect; establishment ofthe California Biological ControlServices Program.

Enter the anti-hero of this tale:

scale insect and, in two years, the

bers, the scale is once again a non-threat and DDT is used ónly in con-versation-as a reminder of theharm that chemicals can cause.

_ In the early 1960s, J. Everetr"Deke" DietricÉ, widely rËgarded asthe granddaddy of the'ben-eficial in-sect industry in this country, scoreda similar victory against the cotton

bollworm, Heliothis zta. Dietnck, 70,president of California's Rincon-Vitova Insectaries Inc., the oldestand largest insectary in the UnitedStates, used Trichoþammas and acomplex of other beneficials to beatthe bollworm. "We took cotton outof spray (programs) in 1961, ,62,

and '63," he recalls. "We virtuallyproved.that you didn't have to spraycotton."

The victory was shortlived, un-fortunately-îoday comon may bedoused wirh more' insecticides ihanany other crop. The cause is theþinh bollw orm, Pe ctinoþhora poss^,¡ -þiella, which arrived from päinisunknown in the mid-1960s'. Thebeneficials that worked so wellagainst the common bollworm werenot effective against the pink, andthe insecticides made a comeback,killing off the beneficials rhat haákept the common bollworm in

temperate region." Of course, that,snot an option, so what they're trv_ing to do insread is find a étrain ínthe chillier mountains of northwest-ern Ausrralia. The hope is that par_asites rhere will be môre cold róler-ant and therefore more likely tosurvive the switch in seasons.

BENEFICIAT BOOMDriven by increasing pest (andluman) resisrance to insecticides,the beneficial insect business iébooming. There has never been a

ters availa-

. in usingtc lncreas-"better liv-

ing through chemistry."Most. members oî the general

public associate beneficial"insectswith the ladybug (or the lady beetle

lVn¿TouI&r¡?

Good br¡gs or bad b lgs?The critter on the left is a Mexican BeanBTtlSVog garden is his own gourmersalad bar. He and his friends a¡eio uora-

i¡"dlGardens$10_61 Hwy. 4S. p.O. Box 149

.Sunman, Indiana 42041

!ìme

City- State_Zlp_ i

-officAr

I

MAY/JUNE lssl 37

to you sticklers) and rhepraying manris. But it'snow generally agreed thatthe martial-arts mantis, fas-cinating criter though itmay be, is not an effectivepest predator, because it

As for the familiar lady-bug, there's no doubt thatit does have an avid appe-tite for aphids. fhe prõb-lem is that once released, itoften flies away. For thatreason, it is the even nnre

mercially (Hiþþodamin, con-aergens) are collected

you keep livestock.o Cryþtolaernr¿s, a mem-

ber of the lady beetle fam-ily commonly called the"mealybug destroyer,"after its favorite meai. It'salso known as Australianlady beetle.

. Beneficial nematodes

maggots, wireworms, Japa-nese beetles, June beetlesand onion maggots (butnot those friendly redearthworms).

o And in the near fu-ture, reports Dr. Hagen,another member of-thelady beetle family, the

mostly in the Sierra Nevada moun-

this favored bug into their lives. (Heoperates Gardens Alive!, Sunman,Ind., one of the country's fastestgrowing mail-order retailers of ben-eficials. It mailed 160,000 orderslast year, compared to slightly morethan 100,000 the year before. GA!'smost popular beneficial,. in fact, isthe ladybug.)

"They do disperse," he concedes,"but I have found that if you re-lease them in the evening and spraythe area wirh warer aheãd of úme,and, make sure there's an abundantsupply of aphids or orher food,

I brac_ í! uasþ (one of møny bencficíat sþecìes) emergesfron the slwll of ø þarasítized aþhòd.

you'll have ladybug larvae crawlingall over the place within a very shoñtime."

The arsenal of beneficials avail-able to gardeners and farmers cur-rently includes:

^. Spined soldier bugs, that goafter cabbage loopers and cabbage-worms.

. Predatory mites (there aremany species); one mite can con-sume up to 20 pest mites, or theireggs, per day.

¡ The little Encørsíø formosø,which keeps greenhouse whitefliesin check.

. ? Iy parasites, also tiny wasps,which can drama[ically reáuce tïeflies that are a package deal when

seven-spot beetle, Coc-cirulla seþtemþunrlntn, w:Jrl be avail-able if the ðost of rearing can bebrought down from the currenr $l-

Þ,rn, Hip-not haveing away

A THREE-PRONGED STRATEGYFOR BENEFICIAT SUCCESSIf you want to try to use beneficialsto control garden pests, you shouldunderstand certain basi'cs, advisesRoy VanDriesche, ph.D., of theUniversity of Massachusetts' ento-

that you

:äü:åd in this

nonnative land. Both the cottonycushion scale and the vedalia beeilêare examples; the scale an uninten-tional import and the beetle inten-tional. Both became established andnow exist in a sort of adversarialbalance with each other.

o Conservation, on the otherhand, means that you try to accGmmodate the needé of nátural ene-

38 oRGANTccARDENtNc

mies of pests in your environment,so that they prosper and performthe service. "This often works wellif you're dealing with native pests,"VanDriesche explains. "But it oftendoes not work if you're dealing withintroduced pests. So you can bedoing all the right things to con-serve and still have lots of pests.

"That's why,,in addition to con-servation, you often need importa-tion to find the right natural ene-mies that are specific to the pest,and get them established if youcan."

Conservation is the key to a re-markable success story in southernGeorgia, where it had been widelybelieved that raising vegetablecrops without insecticides was im-possible. But three years of trials atthe Georgia Coastal Plain Experi-ment Station have shown that vege-tables can be raised successfullywith no insecticides at all!

Sharad Phatak, Ph.D., professorof horticulture at the University ofGeorgia, explains that cover cropsare planted in October and Novem-ber, creating an environment that isattractive to native beneficial in-sects. (Among the most successfulso far are crimson clover, subterra-nean clover and Vantage vetch.)

They have counted abundantnumbers of 13 different species ofbeneficials in these cover's, though65 percent of the total populationconsists of "big-eyed bugs," Geocmis

functiþes. (See chart, p. 46.) The re-sult, Dr. Phatak says, "is that wehave been able to control all of ourmajor pests without insecticides."(In the spring, they remove half of

the cover crop and replace it withfood crops. When the remainingcover crops die back, the beneficialsnaturally migrate over and protect.the food crops.)

a Augmentation means releas-ing beneficial insects, such as preda-tory mites or whitefly parasites,purchased from a commercialsource for the purpose of pest con-trol.

Beneficial Insectary in Oak Run,Calif., is one of the half dozen or somajor producers of beneficial in-sects in this country. Its owner,Sinthya Penn, has been involved inthis field for l5 years. She agreesthat for the average gardener it isdifficult to make a realistic assess-ment of the effectiveness of a par-ticular beneficial. And that is onereason, she says, for the recent es-tablishment of the Association ofNatural Biocontrol Producers, ofwhich she is president.

"This is a difficult issue," she de-clares. "Quality control in this in-dustry is not as simple as it sounds."ANBP is currently in the process ofsetting up minimum industry stan-dards. One of the problems inher-ent to the industry, Deke Dietrick ofRincon-Vitova points out, is thatmost beneficials have virtually no"shelf life"-that is, they typicallylive from 12 days to three weeksafter they're packaged. "If I don'tsell them in three weeks," he says,"I've got to throw them away. Thereason a lot of people aren't in thisbusiness is that it's been so hard tomake any money at it."

A GOTDEN AGE OFBIOLOGICAT CONTROL?Indications are that the "powersthat be" in the agricultural estab-lishment are slowly beginning toagree that biological controls work.The wheels of officialdom grindvery slowl¡ however, and Califor-nia's Medfly battle and BuddyMaedgen's harrowing experiencein Tèxas are good examples.

When the Medfly, a dire threatto the fruit industry, showed uponce again in California, state au-thorities turned to malathion, abroad-spectrum insecticide.

In the previous Medfly cam-Laceuångs lay eggs, whìch høtch ìntohungry bntae, atoþ slender filømcnts.

Introductory Offu

FREE

Manage Aphids Naturally

There are some bugs you want

to have around your garden.

And Land Steward's Bug Charm

will attract them. Ladybugs,

lacewings, parasitic wasps and

other beneficial insects will be

drawn to your garden by the

specially formulated kairomone

scent in these charms. These

beneficial insects are nätural

predators for many garden pests.

See our advertisement to your

right for more details - and

order today!

434 Lower Road

P.O. Box 356

Souderton, PA 18964(800) M8-3043

FÄX: (215) 723-5256

paign of 1980-82, millions of dol-lars were spent-including $20 mil-lion for helicopters and $3.7 millionjust to settle spraying-related law-suits. And it may not have evenworked! Some scientists believe thepest was brought under controlonly because it could not survive acolder-than-normal winter. And,Deke Dietrick adds, "there are nostrategies for how we're going todeal with the inevitable evolution ofstrains of malathion-resistantMedflies."

Dietrick's answer, of course, isbeneficials. He notes that stateAgricultural Research Service ento-mologists have successfully mass-produced wasp parasites of theMedfly that, when combined withsterile flies, and released on an iso-lated island in Medfly-infestedareas of Hawaii, were completelyeffective against the pest.

"Wide-area malathion sprayingis not necessary," Dietrick says."They've spent $50 million just inthis last go-around, and they stillhaven't gone and procured theMedfly's natural enemies, eventhough we know where to go andget them. The cost of the most re-cent proposal (for biological controlresearch) is barely $250,000 a yearfor five years; peanuts compared tothe hundreds of millions spent onchemical-based solutions."

M.A. "Buddy" MaedgenJr. ownsBiofac Inc. in Mathis, Texas, one oftwo commercial insectaries in thestate. In 1985, Biofac began to rearinsects-including Trichogrammawasps-to control pests in storedgrains. In April 1988, at the requestof the Food and Drug Administra-tion, a warrant was issued to seize abin containing 300 bushels of rye atthe Arrowhead Mills storage facilityin Hereford, Tèxas. (Arrowhead isa well-known and highly respectedsupplier of organically growngrains.) The reason for the seizurewas that insect parts were present inthe grain. Some of those insects hadcome from Biofac.

This was grain straight from thefield; it had not yet been cleaned.Grain at that stage almost alwayscontains insect parts. (The cleaningprocess removes most of them.) But

the problem here, says the FDA,was that these bugs had not simplywalked or flown into the grainunder their own power. They hadbeen þlaced, there on purpose! Itmattered not a whit to FDA that thepurpose was to prevent real pestsfrom damaging the grain.

Nope-to them the grain hadsimply been "contaminated."

News of the seizure traveled fast,and Biofac's business plummeted.Thanks to vigorous protests byMaedgen and Arrowhead, how-ever, the 300 condemned bushelsof rye were eventually released.

Offìcials of the FDA, the Envi-ronmental Protection Agency, andthe USDA agreed in December oflast year-almost three years afterthe seizure-that they were "notaware of any adverse health effectsassociated with the use of parasitesand predators of insect pests ofstored grain and commodities." Ac-cordingly, in early January the EPApublished (in the Federal Register)a proposed rule change that wouldofficially allow beneficial bugs to beused in stored grain. This excerptfrom the register caught our fancy:

"In the interests of. . . reduceddependence on chemical controls,researchers and the grain industrybelieve the use of biological controlagents could be practical and haveless adverse impact on humanhealth and the environment thanthe use of chemical pest-controlagents, such as commonly usedgrain fumigants. Furthermore,since the use of biological controlagents would decrease the amountof chemical pest-control agents cur-rentþ in use, applicator/worker ex-posure to highly toxic materialswould be reduced."

The 60-day period for comment(before the rule change can attainthe power of law) expired right atpress time, and so far it appearsthat the change will stand. (We'llkeep you posted.) If it does, BuddyMaedgen and others in the industryagree that it could mean that agolden age of biological controlsmightjust be beginning. El

Jack Cook writes and gardens among thtladybugs of 'Vermont's N orth¿ast Kingd'om.

ed picnics? Are there nasty worm

lly grown apples, plums andcherries - a sure sign that dropped in Areyou tired of picking a luscious pea iscovering t hadgotten there first? Do you k^g," how much disease can be traced to

And do you have environmental

? Is that what,s really buzzing inyour bonnet?

Here's your solution. Effective insect traps from

Apple Møggot

Reusable trap iures andcapturee yellow jackets. Recom.mend one trap per 100 eq. ft

fective. Traps femalés during iheegg-laying cycle. .ì

A eex pheromone lures moth.Use two to three kapa per tree.Simply hang in hee and wail

An etrctive indoo¡ kap. Easily at-taches to any window Safe forfamilies,peb and the envimnmenl

Housefly

FREE B Chann" with Ary Purchase! CalI g00-g4g -g04g.

i yES, Please senil me the following Lanit Stewaril Insect Traps and Free Bug Charm rOf i*r*;r, lI Apple Maggot Trap,3 for g16.95

I _, Yellow Jacket, 3 for g13,9S

METHOD OF PAYMENT¡ _ Visa _ Maste¡Card _ Check/Money OrderExp. Date: Acct.:t_

It-t-il

Codling Moth, 3 for g16.95

Indoor Fly,6 for 98.95

Bug Charm, 6 fo¡ g13.95

Shipping/Handling $2/O¡der6% Sales Tax for pa- Residens

Ship To:

Add¡esì:

City:

For Mail Orders o¡ a F¡ee Catalog, w¡ite or call:

mu

State:_ ZIp: .

l------ _ ^---'-- , I LandSteward,434LowerRoadP.o.Box356,SoudertonpA18964

i TorAt ENCLOSED: $ . _ | tnool ß¿ß-1n¿1 E^y. rrltrr 4'tã E^81Lr:..ïNULUSED: $ . | 18001 ß¿R-în¿a E^r'. Irrtrr ,,,tã E^81

uø3tã,î-r¡p"-ãìrty-qã,, ;.Ayhidlwhitfiiø, HoÞcl,b, rrt;r,n ilcnes |.ropneß, stugs, ntut nan!.morc.

t

I

ICIALHere's hoa to create tñe perfect enuironmenl

for þest-eating insects.

BY JOANNA PONCAVAGE

them dehvered to your garden byLrrçrll usuvcr-cu to your galUPS. But your baókyard"isUPS. ttut your backyard is ølreaÅyhome to many native beneficials

Center has been workins to identifvthe best plants for sucË insect a/-

traction since 1987. They've exam-ined nearly 150 so far,'recordinethe_ kinds (and numbers) of helpfuÏand harmful insects drawn to them.

Their recommendations takeinto consideration a plant's orna-mental value, usefulnéss and flow-

I

;z

42 oRGANrc cARDENTNc

ering time, as well as the down-side-their porential to becometroublesome weeds.

RIRC METHODOLOGY

them for nectar and pollen. Somewere chosen becauie they arewidely grorvn, showy ornamêntals.All are easily available from seedcatalogs and nurseries.

During the tests, plants wereswept regularly with insect-catching

nets, and the insects were baggedand frozen for larer identificãtionand counting. Particular attentionwas paid to the following predatorsand parasites:

. Syrphids, also called hoverflies. They atack many kinds ofaphids.

o Parasitic wasps. There aremany kinds, including Tricho-gramrna. All lay their eggs in rheegg, larva or adult formi of pests,killing them.

_. o Ladybugs (or lady beetles).They eat a wide variety ôf other in-sects, including aphids.

o Lacewings. Their larvae feed

.Insidious flower bugs. A typeof pirate bugs, these feeã on smälllarvae, insect eggs, mites and thrips.

- a Spiders. These are not insects,but are fierce predators.

THE PROMISING PLANTSBased on the data they have to date,the RIRC researcheis believe thai

di-at-

COMPOSITES: These plants(Compositae) have flowers *ith usimple ray of perals around a cen-ter.

one da¡ there were ll5 adults and

I77\

t,

MAY/JUNE lssl 43

food-specifically the tansy aphid,which feeds by sucking the plant'sjuices, and which tends to congre-gate in large numbers in the plant'sserrated leaf margins.

If you do decide to grow tansy inyour garden, position it carefully!This 4- to 5-foot-tall perennial isvigorous and spreading, and whenconditions are moist and unventi-lated, the honeydew excreted by allthose aphids gets moldy and canturn the plant's leaves black.

We hasten to add that tansy'sbenefìts far outweigh these poten-tial problems. A solution madefrom its leaves has even been foundto repel Colorado potato beetles inthe laboratory. Tansy can be grownfrom seed or propagated by divi-sion. Seeds are tiny, and germina-tion is slow, but dependable.

o WHITE SENSATION cosmos(Cosmos bþinnatu,s) bears beautifulflowers that are attractive in gardenor vase. They also attract lacewings,ladybugs, insidious flower bugs andspiders. Although visually showier,SUNI{Y RED cosmos (C. suþhureus)appears to attract fewer numbers ofbeneficials. WHITE SENSATION cos-mos grows 4 to 5 feet tall. You candirect seed where you want them togrow, or start them indoors for ear-lier blooms.

. Anthemis (Anthemis tinctoria

KELWAYI) is a 2-foot perennial longvalued as a dye plant that attractsbeneficial wasps and flies. It makesa nice border plant, with manyshowy yellow flowers over a longperiod of time. It reseeds itselfreadily. Both seeds and plants areavailable.

. LEMoN GEM marigold (Tagetutenuiþlia, also called Signet mari-golds; sometimes called T. signata)attracts small wasps and spiders. Aneasy-to-grow annual that is morecold-sensitive than other marigolds,its l-foot bushy mounds are cov-ered with one-half-inch yellow flow-ers. For earliest blooms, start theseindoors and transplant after dangerof frosrhas passed.,

UMBELS: Umbels are members ofthe Umbelliferae, or parsley, fam-ily. Many are food or herb plants,including angelica and lovage.Some are common wildflowers,such as Queen Anne's lace. Theyare highly regarded as attractors ofbeneficial insects, particularly tiny,parasitic wasps that have an easytime feeding on the nectar of theirshallow flowers. The following fam-ily members are especially attractiveto beneficials:

¡ Caraway (Carum carui L.),2 to3 feet high, provides aromatic seedsfor use in breads and pickles. An

annual with feathery leaves andfluffy white flower heads, it attractsinsidious flower bugs, spiders, smallwasps, syrphid flies and lacewings.You can start indoors or direct seed.

o Dill (Anzthum graaeoleru) is aneasy-to-grow annual that reseeds it-self readily. It likes moderately rich,loose soil and full sun. Germinationis easy; just sow seeds where youwant the plants. They'll get 2 to 3

Ed Lachoushí, RIRC hortìctlturetechníciøn, "sweeþs" a þlot ofasters.

feet tall, then go to seed. Dill at-tracts ladybugs, syrphids, smallwasps and spiders.

. Sweet fennel (Foeniculum aul-gare) is an herb grown for its lico-rice-flavored seeds and leaves.(Florence fennel is very similar, butis grown for its edible stalks andbulb.) It can grow 3 feet high and,in mild climates, may behave like aperennial. Start indoors, or directseed in early spring in moderatelyfertile soil with adequate calciumand much sun. After germination(about two weeks), allolv to dry outbetween waterings. Fennel attractssyrphids, spiders and ladybugs. (Atthe New Alchemy Institute in Mas-sachusetts, it also attracted 48 spe-cies of parasitic wasps.)

MISCELLANEOUS: A wide vari-ety of other plants have interestingrelationships with beneficials.Among them:

. Buckwheat (Fagoþ1rum esculm-tum) attracts flies, ladybugs andsyrphids, plus pollinating bees. Ir'salso an effective soil-builder tharadds organic matter when turnedin, ani, a good weed controller. Itssmall, attractive, white flowers ap-pear in a few weeks, and matureseeds three to four weeks later.

Buckwheat self-seeds readily. If

r

i

ri

I

it

l'I

itI

Ii

Out in the fieldhe Rodale Institute Research Center is located in rural Berks County

I (in southeastern Pennsylvania), about 10 miles west of OG's offices.Formerly called the Rodale i?.esearch Center (the riame change reflects itsconnection to the nonproht Rodale Institute, rather than Rodale Press), its.goal has always been to develop, test and refine regenerative, natural-resource management techniques for farm and garden.

It'salsooneofthefewplacesinthescientificcommunityworkin8toidentify plants that provide good habitats for beneficial insects. Since 1987,researchers involved in the project have included Diane Matthews-Gehringer, senior entomology project leader; Sarah Wolfgang, orchard _

project leader; Terry Schettini, horticulture coordinator; Ed Lachowskiand Susan Edwards (now employed by the University of Massachusetts),

.

horticulture technicians. lhorticulture technicians. .r ! .

Recentemphasishasfocusedonfindingbeneficial.friendlygroundcovers for orchards. The best of these will be compared to sod as part of a ' .

five-state, USDA low-Input Sustainable Agricultrire grant seeking to ,.ìiimprove low-input apple production for the Northeast. - .. , I

This year, visitors to the research center can visit the herbary whereplants are studied for their insect-attracting qualities. For information .'';about tours, or to contribute in support of this research, write to RIRC,6ll Siegfriedale Road, Kutztown, PA 19530,

44 oRcANTccARDENTNG

I

ndctsIallgs.3d.

anit-rh,onou,5

at-all

ul-:o--'s.)utrdrd,:a:ct:lyimonrutrtsArìs-,e-

rl-ngls.

T¿-

rdt'sat:dItsp-re

If

,l

1

l

you'don't mow it after full flower, it

might be to have a perma-nentbuc-kwheat patch near the garden-instead of in it.

o Spearmint (Mentha sþicata),which makes a refreshing tea and

andwithalsoand

should be planted in a container orgiven lots of space. Transplant (for[ruer flavors) or start from seed.

o Many kinds of legumes, suchas crimson clover, white clover orvetch can also help you attract ben-eficials. They provide alternateprey, good shelter and moisture,ãnd they're absolute champions atadding nitrogen to the soil.

(Note: While attractive, LEMoNGEM marigold and CUT AND CoMEAGAIN zinnia harbored fewer bene-ficials than other composites or theumbels. They were tested becausethey are so extensively grown.)

HABITAT HOW.TOIn addition to nectar and Pollen,beneficial insects also need mois-ture, shelter from wind a¡rd rain, al-ternate prey to get them throughthe lean times, and places to spendthe winter. Usually, the more di-verse and varied habitat will bettersupply these needs.

First, evaluate what you alreadyhave. If you grow in containers,consider adding a few pots of spear-mint or dill. If you have a big lawn,consider some long strips of fennel,caraway or buckwheat. near yourgarden, You can create a borderwith perennial anthemis and tansy.

Insects are attracted to the shel-rer of windbreaks and hedgerows,and these can also serve to liven upan otherwise dull landscape. A thickstand of cosmos also makes a niceprivacy fence. A small water gardenwill supply insects with moisture-as will an attractive shallow dishfilled with pebbles and water.

If you are partial to flowers, be

Bugs up closeWewillclos

vial around it and close the toP.)Put the via-l in a refrigerator fora short time-the cold will slowthe insect-and then èxamine itwith a magnifying glass. To iden-tify your catch, refer to our charton p. 46, or one of the identifica-tion guides listed below.

sure you are planting ones thatbeneficials like, too. Many flowershave been bred for showyness-size, pe[als and color-and mayhave lostthe nectar and Pollencharacteristics that make them at-tractive to insects. Perhaps this is

why insects seem to prefer wildflow-ers and herbs-no one's develoPedtheir appearance at the exPense oftheir natural functions.

To ensure a full season of benefi-cial-friendly flowers, start with early

bloomers, such as buckwheat, andmake succession plantings of dill.Sow cosmos and marigold now formidsummer blooms. Start growingtansy and anthemis for a long sea-

son of flowers year after year.Of course, there are some rough

edges to be smoonished plant bugbugs that can deforfruits and vegetabllen and nectar." So if you think a

beneficial planting might be attract-ing too many insect þests, try an-other plant.

Remember, as with all aspects oforganic gardening, the goal inusing beneficials is not completeeradication of pest populations, butcontrol. You can achieve a naturalbalance between pests and preda-tors by creating a habitat that's bothuseful and ornamental. à¡,

IDENTIFICATION GUIDESo A Field Guide to the Insects North ofMexico by DJ. Borrer & R. E.

White (Houghton-Mifflin Co.). Oneof the Peterson Field Guide Series.An introduction to insect identifi-catron.

o Rodale\ Color Handbooh of GardenInsects by Anna Carr (RodalePress). A classic; often referred tooutside of OG as a "first choice."

PLANTS AND SEEDSW. Atlee Burpee & Co.300 Park Ave.Warminsrer, PA 18974Seeds of wnrct sENs,{TloN cosmos,

diII, LEMIN cEM marigold, sþearmintand tansy.

Gardens Alive!Highway 48P.O. Box 149Sunman, IN 47041Seeds of caraway, dill and fennel; buch-wheat, Iegume and oth¿r coaer crops

Rodale's own insect expert, DiancMatthatts-Gehringer þrouided much of tluinformation for tltk article and illwtration.Now th¿ senior entomnlog't þroject leader,Diane has been uith tlw Rodale InstituteResearch Center since 1976. Slw has amaster's degree in entomologl from the

Uniaersity of Delauare, and sþecializes inoegetable and fruit pest managemznt.

Thompson & Morgan Inc.P.O. Box 1308

Jackson, NJ 08527Seeds of antlwmis, dill and LEMINGEM marigold.

Well Sweep Herb Farm317 Mt. Bethel RoadPort Murray, NJ 07865Seeds and planß of d.ill, carauay, fenneland tansy; sþearmint þlanß.Whayes End NurseryP.O. Box 310Burgess, Vl^22432Anthzmis þIanß; "butterfly" plants thatproaid,e nectar and þollen.

SOCIETIESYoung Entomologists'Society Inc.1915 Peggy PlaceLansing, MI489l0(5r7) 887-049eInformationfm all ages and interests.Publishes the Y.E.S. International En-tomology Resource Guide, fig ppd.

SOURCES

MAY/.JUNE rg9l 45

i

I

I

t

THE ORGANIC GARDENING GUIDE TO IMPORTANT BENEFICIAT INSECTSAND MITES OF NORTH AMERICA

Compiled by Línda Gilkeson and Joel Grossman

DESCRIPTION

Tiny (1/re") and delicate with long legs. Larvae are bright orange maggots (1/rt/a'J.Common throughout North America.

PREYS ON

60 species of aphids (on vegetables, flowers, fruit and shade trees).

tIFE CYCTE

Eg ong the aphids, then e feed onap drop to the soil and cocoons;pu adults emerge. The I

ov soil; adults emerge i

HOW TO ATTRACT

Attract with dill, mustard, thyme, sweet clover, and other pollen and nectarplants; shelter garden from strong winds; provide water in a pan filled withgravel.

HOW TO APPLY

Sold commercially. release 250 cocoons for small garden or greenhouse, 3-5pupae per plant, or 5{0 cocoons per apple tree. Repeat in two weeks.

DESCRIPTION

Tiny (rfd'long), slender, black or brown, with characteristic "wasp-waist."Larvae are tiny white grubs that develop inside the pest "hosts." Widespread.

PREYS ON

Several aphids, including green peach, melon and pea aphids.

LIFE CYCTE

Eggs are la ), aphid is killed. After10-18 days g the aphid into a riqid"mummy"' õorpse¡l ndult emer{es in810 days t L

BrHOW TO ATTRACT

APHID PARASIÎ ES {(Aphidius mat¡ícariae and related species of braconid wasps)

to nectar-rich plants with small flowers (anise, caraway, dill,amily, white clbver, lemon balm, corn spurry, wild carrót,rrow). Do not use water traps or yellow sticky pest traps; these

HOW TO APPLY

Move leaves with mummies to problem areas. Becoming available commercially;release 50-100 pupae in garden or small greenhouse when aphids appear inspnng.

Adult Aph¡dius etv¡

Newly hatched nymph

DESCRIPTION

tly

PREYS ON

Many insects, including flies, tomato hornworms and other large caterpillars.

LIFE CYCLE

Eggs are laid (singly or in clusters) in crevices. Nymphs develop for awhile, thenhhtrnate in a pre-adult stage, becoming adults the next June,

HOW TO ATTRACT

Provide permanent plantings for shelter.

HOW TO APPTY

I

t_ASSASS¡Í{ BUGS

(Reduvíidae lamilyl

Assassin bug adult

Not available commercially.

46 oRGANTccARDENTNc

f' -''.- - '.î:il'."r

I

THE ORGANIC GARDENING GUIDEAND MITES OF

TO IMPORTANT BENEFICIAL INSECTSNORTH AMERICA

DESCRIPTION

.'/s").

,.d *0ns;

Bulging eyes, but otherwise nondescript; gray, brown, black or tan with tinyblaik spots, 1/a-t/0" long. Wingless nymphs are similar to adults. Found throughoutNorth America.

PREYS ON

Eggs ms, hornworms, loopers, corn earworms, lygusbués ppers, flea beetles, psyllids, mealybugs andthrip 12 small caterpillars oi leafhoppers per day.

IIFE CYCTE

year. Some adults hibernate in garden trash, emerge inplant stems and underside of leáves. Adults remain active

re is a cover crop.

HOW TO ATTRACT

Attracted by alfalfa, potatoes, beets and subterranean clover. Provide flowernectar when pests are scarce.

HOW TO APPLY

Not available commercially

th

BIG-EYED BUGS(6eocoris spp.)

Big-eyed bug on corn

5

r-lad.

i,f; lid: les tn

d¡il,

DESCRIPTION

these

cially;tn

BRACONID W^SPS d(Braconi dae I amily, e.g. Apanteles glomeratusl

Adults are tiny ('/ret/:"), slender, black or brown, "wasp-waisted" w¡th clearwings. Larvae are tiny, white grubs that live inside (or on) other insects.Numerous species common throughout North America.

PREYS ON

Armyworm, cabbageworm, codling moth, gypsy moth, European corn borer andmany other caterpiìlars, beetle larvae, flies, aphids and other insects (see aphidparasite).

IIFE CYCLE

HOW TO ATTRACT

Grow nectar plants with small flowers (dill, parsley, wild carrot, corn spurry,mustard, white clover, lemon balm, stinging nettle, yarrow). Crocuses supplyearly pollen.

I{OW TO APPTY

Some species available commercially for greenhouse use. Leave container open orsprinkle them around.

\z

Cocoons of braconid wasp on tomato hornworm

àve,me

rightly

DFSCRIPTION

Adults are slender, gray or brown, with long beaks tucked backwards under head(3/¡-'/2"): They move rapidly; some species can fly long distances. Nymphs areslender, wingless, and smaller than adults,

PREYS ON

Aphids, thrips, plant bugs, leafhoppers, treehoppers, small caterpillars.

I IFF CYCI Fers.

, th*

I'I

Eqqs are laid in plant t¡ssue and hatch in 'l week. Nymphs immediately beginfe-e-ding and dev'elop for 3-4 weeks until their final ñroli to adults; adúlts

-

overwinter. Two or more generations per season.

HOW TO ATTRÂCT

Common throughout North America in orchards and fields, especially alfalfa.

HOW TO APPLYDamsel bug adult

DAMSET BUGS(Nabidae lamily, e.g. Nabis americof erusl

You can collect damsel bugs with a sweep net in alfalfa fields and release themaround your garden or orchard.

I

MAY/JUNE l99r 47

THE ORGANIC GARDENING GUIDE TO IMPORTANT BENEFICIAT INSECTSAND MITES OF NORTH AMERICA

Ground beetle larva

DESCRIPTION

GROUND BEETLES(Carabidae tamilyl

Large, long or dark brown beetles, usually with iridescentsheen (1"). ones by day. Larvae are elonqãted, dark brown orblack, with legs (rárely seen). More than-2,500 speciescommon th erica.

PREYS ON

Most species prey on slugs, snails, cutworms and cabbage-root maggots in soil;some pursue prey on plants ortrees, such as Colorado potato beetle larvae, gypsymoth and tent caterp¡llars.

LIFE CYCLE

Overwi I in spring and lay eggs. Larvae prey onsoil-dw en pupate in soil.-Adu'lts remain in the soiluntil th . Uiuàlly I generation per year; individualbeetles

HOW TO ATTRACT

Provide plantings in garden and allow some weeds,especia lover as grouñd cover in orchards; makeperman hways throughout garden to provide refuges.

HOW TO APPLY

Collect them from rotting trees and release them in the garden.

Ground beetle adult

Larva eal

Lacewing larva

DESCRIPTION

Adultswingscovere n,mottlethroug

PREYS ON

Soft-bodied insects including aphids, thrips, mealybugs, some scales, moth eggs,smail caterpilrars an0 mrles.

LIFE CYCLE

Eggs are laid singly on the end of lonq, fine stalks, and hatch in 4-7 days. Larvaefeed forabout 3 weeks,then form cõcoons and pupate for 5-7 days. Ádultsemerge from the top ofthe cocoon; last generatiòn'in fall hibernatês as pupae oradults.

HOW TO ATTRACT

TACEWINGS(Chrysoperla and Chrysopa spp.)

Grow pollen and nectar plants (dill, angelica, corn, sunflowers). Allow someflowering weeds (dandelion, goldenrod). Provide water during dry spells.

HOW TO APPTY

2 species sold commercially; scatter 500-1,000 eggs throughout average garden.

Brown lacewing

DESCRIPTION

PREYS ON

Adults and larvae-of many species feed on aphids; some only on mealybugs,sp¡der m¡tes or s01t scales.

LIFE CYCLE

ln spring, overwintering adulhatch in 3-5 days and làrvaepupate on plant stems or thelocal species hibernate as admigrates to the Sierra MountHatching larvae (center); mature larva, pupa and adult

ladybug (from top)

IADY BEETTES; TADYBUGS(Hippodamia spp., Adalia bipunctata and many others)

HOW TO ATTRACT

Grow pollen and nectar flowers (anqelica, dill); qrow qrains; allow weeds(dandelion, wild carrot, yarrow). Prolect egg clustlrs, la-rvae and pupae on plants.

HOW TO APPTY

Purchased H.-convergensoften fly away from gardens, but are effective for agreenhouse ¡t vents are screened. Collect native species from hay or grain fields.

Mantis nyr

48 oRGANTccARDENTNG

THE ORGANIC GARDENING GUIDEAND MITES OF

TO IMPORTANT BENEFICIAT INSECTSNORTH AMERICA

;.rtown ofs

in soil;, gypsy

'y on,he soiliividual

..dte

:fuges.

DESCRIPTION

PREYS ON

Adults and lurut

,'fJ tü: Ji|1'jlT' rdü'jlI'*, r o u s e s s m

rne tarvae leed on eqos andplants and adults erñérge in eaniolñã---

-"indoors, but this develo'pme luqi-in winter.l

35;

llrown,

MEATYBUG DESTROYER(C r y ptol a e m u s m o nt ro u zi e r î)

Larva eating mealybugs Adult beetle

-**'':5

lae or

e9gs,

1e

¡rden.

DESCRIPTION

PREYS ON

tIFE CYCLE

HOW TO APPLY

to commercial growers for thrip control i

,hre-like,

ovals-Iì0n

MINUTE PIRATE BUGS(Orius spp.)

Minute p¡rate bug adult

Js,

Mantis religiosa adult

PRAYING MANTIS(e.9, European mantid, Mantis religiosa)

DESCRIPTION

PREYS ON

Any insects th

tIFE CYCLE

HOW TO APPLY

Eoosthen

fall,t5

ants.

-aelds.

I

;f

;lIttttt,I

Mantis nymph

MAY/JUNE lgel 49

lI

l

THE ORGANIC GARDENING GUIDE TO IMPORTANT BENEFICIAT INSECTSAND MITES OF NORTH AMERICA

DESCRIPTION

Minute (r/so"), pear-shaped, reddish-orange and fast-moving; Sold widely for usein greenhouses and gardens.

PREYS ON

Spider mites, such as two-spotted mite, red mite, Pacific mite.

LIFE CYCLE

PREDATORY MNEú(Phy tos ei ulus pe rsim ilisl

Eggs are laid among spider-mite webbing. Nymphs hatch in 1-2 days, moltingseveral times until they reach the adult stage in 7{0 days. Not hardy; mitesdieoutdoors in subf reezing temperatures.

HOW TO ATTRACT

Not native to North America. Live mites must be available when released.

HOW TO APPLY

Release 2 to 10 mites per plant on strawberr nts atfirst sign of spider mites; does not work well beobvious in 2 to 3 weeks; mist plants to encou r mitereproduction.

Spider r

orange predatory mite adult

DESCRIPTION

Very tiny (under 3/so"). lncludes six-spotted thrips (yellow with black spots onwings); black hunter thrips and banded-wing thrips (yellow to brown with darkcross bands on the wings). Found throughout North America.

PREYS ON

Eggs and larvae of spider mites, aphids, other thrips, Oriental fruit moth, codl¡ngmoth, bud moth, peach twig borer, alfalfa weevil, whitefly, leafminer f lies, andscales.

TIFE CYCLE

PREDATORYTH RPS{(Thripidae lamily and others)

Eggs are laid in leaves and stems. 1-2 weeks later, nymphs emerge and feed,Some species drop to the ground, and emerge as adults. Several generations eachyear; most prevalent in late spring to midsummer.

HOW TO ATTRACT

They prefer insect prey, but will eat plant juices and pollen for survival. Providepollen by planting flowers and corn.

HOW TO APPLY

Not available commercially.

Adult predatory thripsNymph'

Rove beetle larva

DESCRIPTION

Adults are brown or blackcover¡ng only the lorwardpinchers. When disturbedThe larvae resemble adult

Larva wil

PREYS ON

ROVE BEETTES(St a p h y I i n í d a e f amily)

Many are predators of aphids, springtails, nematodes, fly eggs and maggots inthe soil; some are parasitic on cabbage-root maggots and larvae ofotherflies.Many species are scavengers on decaying material.

LIFE CYCLE

Little es live mostly in and on the soil, although adults can flywell; nter as adults, becoming active in the spring and layingtheir larvae pass through 3 molts as they prey or scavenge,then

HOW TO ATTRACT

Maintain permanent beds and plantings to protect population; ¡nterplant stripsof rye, other grains or cover crops; mulch planting beds; make stone or plankwalkways in garden to provide refuges.

HOW TO APPLY

lf you find them in your soil, put them in the garden.

Rove beetle adult

' ' -' -i;l Þi ':. .,;'ì!,çF Fhl?vv

50 ORGANICGARDENING

THE ORGANIC GARDENING GUIDE TO IMPORTANT BENEFICIAL INSECTS

AND MITES OF NORTH AMERICA

i:f Ll5€

tng¿s d¡e

ìnñibe!r mite

onh dark

Spider mite destroYer larvaHOW TO APPLY

Not available commerciallY. ,

SPIDER MITE DESTROYER(Stetáorus sPP.)

Spider mite destroYer adult

..oãirs

'5, and

*;:ns each

')rovideNymph with cabbage webworm

control beetle larvae'SPINED SOIDIER BUG(P o d i su s m aculi ve ntilsl

Adult (right) w¡th Pest PuPa

M.¡.t.'t p.t*t.tt b.dt .f perennials in garden to provide shelter'

ngswithout

eir back.merica.

¡S*t i.rer flies.

ts can flyrnd laying;cavenge,

.at ttflparr plank

M.{Y/JUNE l99l 51

SYRPHID FTIES

(Syrphidaelamily). Aiso ialled hover flies or flower flies'

Syrphid adultLarva with prey

f

\

THE ORGANIC GARDENING GUIDE TO IMPORTANT BENEFICIAT INSECTSAND MITES OF NORTH AMERICA

tfAdults are t/:-1lr"; robust, gray, brown , similar tohouseflies, some covered viith bristles. nside insecthosts. Hundreds of species throughout able as pestpredators.

PREYS ON

Many species of caterpillars, including cutworms, armyworms, tent caterpillars,cabbãgb looper, gypsy moth; some attack sawflies, Jaþanese beetle, May beetle,squasñ bugs, green stink bug, sowbugs.

NFçCRIPTION

I IFF CYCLE

HOW TO APPLY

Don't kill caterpillars with white eggs stuck to them-they will produce moreflies.

Eoos are laid near the oests or on their skin. The larvae are eaten by the host orbúírow into ¡t, eventuålly killing it. They pupate inside the dead hoit or in soil

nearby. 1-2 generations per year.

HOW TO ATTRACT

Grow pollen and nectar plants (dill, parsley, sweet cloue¡, Phaceliasp,, fennel,buckniheat and herbs) throughout yòur gaiden. Allow weeds to grow, especiallygoldenrod, wild carrot, amaranth.

Tachnid adult

TACHINID FtIES(Íamily lachinidael

Tachnid larva

Tiger beetle adult

Adults (l/zJln") are swi tterned.(manyare brioht blue. oreen are S-shaped,

seomeñted, w¡ih-hum e of their backwifh stronq hooks to n attracted tolights at night. Many

PREYS ON

Both adults and larvae prey on a wide variety of insects but are considered mostlybeneficial.

LIFE CYCLE

Eqqs are la in soil; larvae lie in burrows and wait for prey'

Lãivae dev gging deep into soil to hibernate each winter;adults also Entire life cycle can take 2'3 years.

HOW TO ATTRACT

Maintain permanent beds and areas in garden to preserve populations fromchanges during cult¡vation and harvesting.

DFSCRIPTION

HOW TO APPLY

Don't leave outdoor lights on all night; this will coax them out of the garden.TIGER BEETTES(Cicindelidae lamilyl

DESCRIPTION

Adults are minute yellow parasitic wasps ('/rm" long) with darker abdomens andbright red eyes. Laivae arâ tiny, white grubs that llle inside host eggs. Found

throughout North America.

PREYS ON

Eggs of over 200 species of moths, including spruce budworm, cotton bollworm,tomato hornworm, corn earworm, corn borers, codling moth.

LIFE CYCTE

Eg rvae develop ts of theeg wasps matÙr outofthehõ takei only 8- generationspe ate.

HOWTOATTRACT,Maintain a diversity of plants, including dill, anise, caraway and fennel. Providemixtures of clover and flowering weeds in orchard ground covers.

HOW TO APPLY

Sold commercially but buying wasps is only advisable for large plantings; theyparasitize freshlylaid egg-s, so moth eggs-must be present when wasps are firstreleased.TRICHOGRAMMA WA5P5

(Trichogramma minutum and rclated

Trichogramma pretiosum parasitizes egg

Mostsprns

Molti

Linda

Victoand c

Chart

Max I

Marti

Dwigl

John ,

Charlr

Jame!

Edwa

John i

Ron V

p.53 t

dln-.ll

52 oRGANIc cARDENING

r"'.:-_nm1

--

s¡milar tors¡de insectrble as pest

Iterpillars,lay beetle,

:he host oror in soil

, fennel,especially

red mostly

ìit for prey.rch winter;

rs from

garden.

cmens ands. Found

bollworm,

s of thelut of the¡enerations

el. Provide

ngs; theyps are first

THE ORGANIC GARDENING GUIDEAND MITES OF

TO IMPORTANT BENEFICIAT INSECTSNORTH AMERICA

DESCRIPTION

Adults are minute ('/:0") parasitic wasps with yellow abdomen, black thorax.Larvae are minute, creamy grubs concealed inside host. Not native to NorthAmeflca.

PREYS ON

Greenhouse whitefly, sweet potaro whitefly.

LIFE CYCTE

he

HOW TO ATTRACT

Not native to North Amer¡ca.

HOW TO APPLY

WHITEFTY PARASITE(Encarsia formosa)

eenhouses; can be used outdoors in warm, lonq-seasonites per tomato or cucumber plant when first wlitefly is. Minimum order of 1,000 is sufficient for most homdMost successf ul in warm, bright conditions (not late fall

or winter). Not hardy, but may overwinter outdoors iñmild areas.

Encarsia formosa adult with whitefly larvae

DESCRIPTION

Minute (r/so") reddish tan, fast-moving mites nat¡ve to western North America.

PREYS ON

Spider mites, especially European red mite, citrus red mite.

tIFE CYCLE

r mites; nymphs hatch in 3-4 days, molting severaladult stage in 5 days. This is a hãrdy specles,cracks and crevices under tree bark.

HOW TO ATTRACT

Grow pollen-producing plants.

HOW TO APPLYAdult mite

WESTERN PREDATORY MITE(Metaseiulus ( : Typhlodronus) occidentalisl

Sold commercially for use in strawberries and orchards. Release 50 to 100 mitespe¡_a-pple tree in summer or early fall to establish permanent population; use1,000 per tree to control pest ouibreak in the samê season.

Most of these insects progres fiom an egg to a larva (which is wingless and usually worm-like). ln. the next stage, pupa þort of like being a teenager), the insect generallyspins a cocoon inside which it changes into an adult. Some insects have a nymph stage instead of the larval and pupal stages; a nymphìs a smallãr, less developõd adult.Molting occurs when the insect outgrows and casts off its coat,

Linda Gilkeson, Ph.D., is director of research at Applied Bio-Nomics, a company that specializes in research and commercial production of biological control agents near

and other journals.

Chart photographs by:

Max E. Badgley/Biological Photography-p.46 middle; p.48 middle right; p,49 top left, top right; p,50 botrom left; p.51 top lefr; p.52 bottom; p.53 middle.

Martin Dohrn/Science Photo Library/Photo Researthers-p.50 top.

Dwight Kuhn-p.46 bottom.

lohn A. Lynch-p.49 bottom right.

Charles W Melton-p.46 top.

James H, Robinson-p.46 bottom left; p.47 middle right; p.48 bottom; p.49 bottom left.

Edward S. Ross-p 47 middle left, p.48 top right, middle left.

John Serrao-p,48 top left.

Ron West-p,47 top, bottom; p.49 middle; p,50 middle, bottom right; p.5l top right, middle left, middle right, bottom left, bottom right; p.52 top left, top right, middle;p.53 top.

a@ indicates a "micro-beneficial" insect; one which is too small to be seen clearly with the naked eye.

In all cases, remember to never apply pestic¡des; they not only kill bad bugs but also take out the good guys, too.

MAY/JUNE legl 53

ìzo

-o

2où

È

I

az!

oI

I

oT

-

a

mosthowyou I

theySi

theirclim¿counro thbenethen

athatonh

Br

you (

will <

Relerevenwhergard

"treleaNilerAlivrsevel"SP.you r

afterladylwheresPeldisptsays.you'renouleavewingcare

Unym.and r

(eacÌper fmanl2 feethertyoun

T:

PCI T

feet :

Garcsuch"Youthe ¡relealacevwithplanafter

THE FOOL-YA BUGS!Can you recognize fúend from foe?

V o.r say you have a pretty good idea of who your friends are in the insect kingdom. Can you pick their "bug mugs" outI in a crowd-especially a crowd of enemy bugs designed by nature to fool you? Here's a glimpse of some of the major

masters of disguise, and the beneficials they're impersonating. -Jill Jesiolowshi

LADYBUGS ANDMEXICAN BEAN BEETLESLadybugs range from white, yellow ororange to red and even black, and canvary in size and the number of spotsthey have on their back. But Mexicanbean beetles aluals have 16 dots, andare yellowish-brown to coppery.(Ladybugs also are slimmer and fasterthan the plump, round Mexican beanbeetles.)

SPINED SOLDIER BUG ANDSTINK BUGSpined soldier bugs are tough to dis-tinguish from stink bugs by color, so

look closely for the sharply pointedshoulders that identify the good sol-dier. The spined soldier bug actuallytakes its name from a conspicuousspine on the underside of each of itsfront legs.

TACHINID FLY ANDHOUSEFTYThe most obvious difference is thepresence oflarge bristles on the ab-

domen of most tachinids. Houseflieshave no prominent bristles. Tachinidsalso move around in a fast, jerky un-housefly-like manner. A housefly'swings lay straight back when it'sresting; a tachinid's lay at an angle toits body.

GROUND BEETLE ANDDARKTING BEETLEGround beetles (good-they eat slugs)are usually shiny, while darklingbeetles (bad-they eat your plants) aredull. The tips of a darkling beetle'santennae are slightly larger than theantennae segments at the base;ground beetle antennae tips are rarelyenlarged. Some ground beetles alsohave patterns oflighter colors.

Mæican beøn beetl¿Lailybug

Sþined soldíer bug Stink bug

Tøchinàdfly Housefly

Ground beetlc Darkling beetle

54 ORCANICGARDENING

,

Here's how rc get your bugs off to a good starry now you probably have a betreridea of which beneficial will be the

most benef,icial in yur garden. Buthow many do you-ordei? And how doyou welcome your new guests oncethey arrive?

Quantiries to order? Rememberthat the numbers will depend largelyon how infested your gaiden is. '

But here are a few iules of thumb

atter their longjourney." Also,ladybugs need to be reieased in an areawhere there is abundant food, -Trichogramma Ìvasps should be

released when you see-the first sign ofpest presence. For a small area,Gardens Alive! recommends three

more than half go in the first release,then reinforce with two more releasesof equal amounts.

" ïöiï#*â sthod for

direct sun until most of them hatch.

apart.

obtain.

similar product (it also contains whey).To make your new guests want to

stay, create a habitat that encouragesthem to stay around. provide wate"r,nectar and a haven of their favorite

especially aphids. "But they uilldisperse over a period of time," hesays. "That's jusr a facr of life." If

e

there is enough cover to protect theyoung when they hatch.

Try about_ I O-green lacerr.ing eggsper plant or 1.000 eggs per 200 sqõarefeet for moderate infestations.Gardens Alive! recommends threesuch releases at two-week intervals."You have a better chance ofcatchingthe pest in its life cycle with several "

There seuerøl thöngs you can do to welcome your neu) ladybug guests.

MAY/JUNE r99l 55

it

l

Beneficials on the movehenever I've planted alfalfa upwind and around the perimeter of

V V crops needing protection, many big-eyed bugs, pirate bugs,lacewings and ladybugs have arrived. One USDA found study found 40big-eyed bugs and 20 pirate bugs per l0 square feet in alfalfa interplantedwith vegetables. Halving that alfalfa plot when predators are abundantforces beneficials into the vegetable crops under attack,

Meanwhile, a "breeding population" of beneficials remains behind inthe uncut alfalfa. Big-eyed bugs breed exceptionally well in alfalfa, thoughpotatoes, peas, beets, broccoli and orchard grass are also attractive. So,when the cut alfalfa grows back (it takes about a month during thesummer), the other half can be cut for another beneficial insect release.(I've had a few spider mites and corn earworm moths move out of thealfalfa along with the beneficials, but the advantages of the predatorrelease has far outweighed this tiny drawback.)

-Joel Grossman

Chow timep ig-eyed bugs come from aI-l family of seed eating bugs,and vestiges of this seed-eatinghabit can be used to increaseyour garden big-eyed bugpopulation. The USDA ran anexperiment in which a quarter-pound of chopped sunflowerseeds was scattered on plots ofbeets twice during the growingseason. This supplemental fooddoubled the number of big-eyedbugs (compared to plots withoutseeds.)

-Joel Grossrnan

BENEFICIAL INSECT SUPPLIERS

Applied Bionomics(U.S. customers)11074 W. Saanich RoadSidney, BCCanada V8L 3Xg(604) 656-2123Free brochuresorWestgro-Agrico Sales Ltd.(Canadian customers)7333 Progress WayDelta, BCCanada V4G lE7(800) 663-2552

Arbico Inc.P.O. Box 4247CRBTucson, A285738(800) 767-2847 (SOS-BUGS)Free catalog

Bozeman BiojTech1612 Gold Ave.Box 3146Bozeman, MT 59772(800) 289-6656(406) 587-589rFree catalog

BiofacP.O. Box 87Mathis, TX 78368(5r2) 547-3259Free catalog

Buena BiosystemsP.O. Box 4008Ventura, CA 93007(805) 525-2525Free catalog ($50 minirnum þurchase)

W. Atlee Burpee300 Park Ave.Warminster, PA 18974(215) 674-4900Free catalog

Henry Field Seed & Nursery Co.P.O. Box 600Shenandoah, IA 51601(605) 665-4491Free catalog

Gardener's Supply128 Intervale RoadBurlington, m 05401(802) 863-1700Free catalog

Gardens Alive! (Natural GardeningResearch Center)Highway 48P.O. Box 149Sunman, IN 47041(812) 623-3800Free catalog

Harmony Farm SupplyP, O. Box 460Graton, CA95444(707) 823-et25Catalog #2, refundnble uith order

Mellinçr's2310 W. South Range RoadNorth Lima, OH 44452(800) 32r-7444Free catalog

Natural Gardening Company217 San Anselmo Ave.San Anselmo, CA 94960(415) 456-5060Free catalog

The Necessary Trading CompanyI Nature's WayNew Castle, VA24127(703) 864-5103Catalog fi2, refundable uith order

Orcon5132 Venice Blvd.Los Angeles, CA 90019(2r3) 937-7444Free brochures

Peaceful Valley Farm SupplyP.O. Box 2209Grass Valley, CA 95945(916) 272-4769Catalog ff2

RichtersP.O. Box 26Goodwood, ONTCanada LOC lA0(4t6) 640-6677Catalog fi2.50, or $1 with order

Rincon-Vitova Insectaries Inc.P.O. Box 95Oak View, CA 93022In Calif.: (805) 643-5407Outside Calif.: (800) 248-2847Free brochures

Unique Insect ControlP.O. Box 15376Sacramento, CA 95851(e16) 961-7945 '

Free brochtnes

56 ORGANICGARDENING