I was so happy to transfer with my husband’s job from the cold northern state of New Jersey to sunny South Texas. We moved from a March snowstorm to 80-degree weather. Transferring, however, was a learning curve for me, including developing a knowledge bank of all things that buzz, slither and sting. Recently, during my time as a Master Gardener, I have learned to respect and appreciate these beneficial insects of the garden and their symbiosis.
So just what is a beneficial insect?
It can be defined as a piece of the biological control of managing harmful insects using other living organisms. Think about it, you discover you have a plant full of aphids. The first thing you want to do is to spray it with some form of insecticide. Well, this insecticide when sprayed in the garden is not only killing the aphids, but also some insects that might do some good. Instead, you could wait for lady beetles to do their magic and consume them. You have not only saved money because you are not buying a variety of insecticides for all matter of creepy crawlies, but you are allowing nature to do its thing.
What kind of harm do the bad bugs inflict?
They could cause holes or notches in leaves. They might suck the juices out of leaves. Or they eat right through roots, thus cutting off the plant from its water and nutrient supply. Some examples of harmful bugs might be cabbage looper, army worms or stink bugs. As gardeners, I am sure you could rattle off many more to add to that list.
Now, let’s talk about how we can create an environment in our garden to work with nature.
Actually, 97-98% of the world’s insects are beneficial insects. Those include lacewings, certain types of beetles and braconid wasps, just to name a few. What is truly interesting is that beneficial insects release an odor that draws harmful insects into their trap.
How can you create a garden or an insectary habitat that draws in beneficial insects?
Basically, you need shelter, food and water.
When planning a garden, most people think about the beauty and how a spectacular garden full of color and texture will enhance their landscape. If you are thinking like that, then you are halfway there. Now think in terms of height and continuous blooms from spring to summer to autumn. With this, you create a place for birds, butterflies and insects to shelter from their natural predators. If you have a garden rich in blooms over the various seasons, you have a place for the pollinators to gather nectar or any other insect to feast on. Another component of an insectary is water. As little as a rock with an indentation that gathers rain or puddles formed from watering your yard will do the trick.
Some specifics for your garden can be dill, parsley, spearmint and fennel, many of which you may have in your garden for cooking. Add a splash of color and pollen with marigolds, yarrow and butterfly weed. Don’t forget a variety of shrubs to create a protective area.
As I am writing this article, we just had a blustery winter storm create a blank slate in our garden. Perhaps now is the time to rethink our landscaping and create an insectary habitat.
As you plant your garden this spring, remember beneficial insects feed on prey while harmful ones eat the plants.
Victoria County Master Gardener Association
