Insects can be an organic gardener's best friend. Whether pollinators or predators, they help control pests and keep your garden healthy. Here we will show you beneficial insects against aphids as well as advice on how you can introduce the helpful insects into your organic farming area.
Hoverflies help with organic farming
Because of their similar yellow-black coloring, they are often confused with wasps. Unlike wasps, however, hoverflies (Diptera) do not sting (nor do they have long antennae, fierce eyes and a bulging abdomen with a wasp waist - this is how you can tell them apart). More than 85 species have been found in a single garden. They can fly in bursts of up to 40 km per hour. The adult hoverflies feed on nectar and pollen, and their larvae are voracious predators ofAphids and other garden pests. Therefore, hoverflies should be welcome in any organic farming area as they act as both pollinators and pest controllers. How can you tell the gender of a hoverfly? In males, the eyes meet at the top of the head, while the eyes of females are separated by a slit. Plants that attract hoverflies: yarrow, thale cress, dill, cosmos, mallow, poached egg plant, lemon balm, potentilla, marigold.
Ladybugs: effective beneficial insects against aphids
These beetles are carnivorous and almost feedexclusively from aphids(green and black fly) and red spider mites. That's why they are very popular with organic farmers. Ladybugs (Coleoptera) lay hundreds of eggs in colonies of aphids and other plant-eating pests. When they hatch, the ladybird larvae eat up to 5,000 aphids. A ladybug can only live up to 3 years - assuming it can avoid its predators, which it does by secreting a toxic yellow substance (reflex blood). Interestingly, swifts and swallows are immune to these antibodies. The ladybird's distinctive shell is often red or orange, and the number of spots can vary between 2 and 18. Plants that attract ladybugs: yarrow, carpethornwort (Ajuga reptans), alyssum, penstemon, fennel, cinquefoil and tansy.
Attracting parasitic wasps to the garden
These wasps (Hymenoptera) also do not sting. They lay their eggs on or in other insects. Although their life cycle is cruel - after hatching from the egg, the parasitic larva eats the host alive before developing into an adult - these insects play an important role. They destroy an enormous number of garden pests, from flower-eating caterpillars to sawflies, ants and aphids. The family of parasitic wasps (Ichneumonidae) is one of the largest families of organisms in the world, with over 100,000 species.
Several companies produce parasitic wasps on an industrial scalefor pest controlto be spread in fields and greenhouses. A female wasp can tell the sex of her eggs and will only lay female eggs if she finds a good host that offers plenty of food. Plants that attract parasitic wasps: yarrow, dill, mallow, cosmos, lobelia, blackgrass, cinquefoil, marigold
Butterflies and moths eat aphids
Admittedly, their larvae (caterpillars) can be pests in the garden - they eat brassicas, fruits and other plants. But the adults are beautiful andhardworking pollinators. How do you tell the difference between a moth and a butterfly? The latter are usually brightly colored, day-flying insects, have articulated antennae and hold their wings vertically above the body when resting. Most moths are nocturnal, keep their wings flat when resting, and have either hair-like or feathery antennae. Butterflies drink nectar from flowers using their tongues, which function like straws.
Moths and butterflies are not only pollinators and visually attractive in the garden, but also an important element of the food chain as they serve as prey for birds, bats and other insectivorous animals. Individual butterflies have evolved their own chemicals to deter predators and parasites, find a mate, and overcome a host plant's chemical defenses. Plants that attract butterflies: butterfly lilac, marjoram, lavender, wallflowers. Plants that attract moths: jasmine, evening primrose, honeysuckle, rocket and evening primrose
These beautiful and widespread insects are easily recognized by their transparent, lace-like wings, which are almost twice as long as their abdomen. Both the adults and the larvae are voracious consumersof aphids and insect eggs. The larvae have specialized mouthparts with large jaws that interlock to form pincers. Once impaled on these pincers, the prey's body contents are sucked out through hollow food channels that run between the jaws. Plants that attract lacewings (Neuroptera): yarrow, dill, angelica, coriander, cosmos, fennel and dandelion
Insert ground beetles
They are voracious predators. They eat by vomiting on their prey and waiting for their digestive enzymes to make their food more liquid and easier to consume. As the name suggests, many ground beetles (Coleoptera, Carabidae) spend their time on the ground and only a few can fly. So when you set up your snail traps, make sure there is an edge so the poor bug doesn't climb in and drown. Many ground beetles are nocturnal and need shade during the day, e.g. B. in the form of a pile of wood, leaf litter or large stones. When threatened, ground beetles expel a poisonous, highly irritating liquid (safe for humans) from the tip of their abdomen. The beetle pictured is a purple ground beetle (Carabus violaceus).
Beneficial insects against aphids: solitary bees
In contrast to honey bees and bumblebees, the solitary bee (Hymenoptera) does not live in colonies. Some solitary bees look like honey bees, and although they carry pollen on their legs, unlike honey bees, they do not have pollen baskets on their hind legs. The female digs the nest and fills it with nectar and pollen. Some build their nests in the ground, but there is also a species of solitary bee, Ceratina cyanea, which usually builds its own nest in blackberry stems. Another group builds their nests in empty snail shells and seals the entrance with chewed leaves and saliva. Then there are the leafcutter bees, which cut neat circles out of rose petals and petals to build nests in dead plant stems or sometimes in stacks of old flower pots. All solitary bees are excellent pollinators and should be encouraged in your garden.
