After hours of hard work are spent growing our plants, keeping them strong, healthy and free from invading pests is an ongoing and essential task.
Of thousands of insects, only certain species create damage to the garden so it is important to know what they are and to appreciate the ways of insect pest controls.
Identifying the pest isn’t always simple, however. Many insects hide themselves well and detective work is needed. Sometimes guesswork is the only solution but basic knowledge, or research of the plant variety and its common pest, may sometimes be enough to find a solution. In rose bushes, for example, aphids can be hard to spot. Grass is another favourite where grub infestations can only be detected in the soil with a keen eye.
Insects can commonly be found on the leaves of the plant. Check the underside of the leaves as well as the surface as this is a common hideaway. Once you have found the insect, identify it using books or online sources. If you have trouble identifying the pest, also search the name of the plant in relation to pests and this will usually bring up a list of insects that are common pests to the plant.
Identifying the species is the hard part, but once this is done, destroying them is far easier. Strong chemicals do not always have to be the answer. While many are now designed to be safer for both the human and the environment there is always a certain amount of stigma attached to spraying chemicals.
Luckily then, there are many biological control methods available and these are becoming more and more popular. Effective substances such as ‘milky spores’ can be used instead of insecticides and can be extremely cost effective in controlling grubs in lawns.
With all things, introduction of biological control may seem more costly than buying usual insecticide at the outset. However, it lasts much longer and its productivity just as good. Substances such as ‘milky spores’ are becoming ever-popular as they act as a natural control of the pest. Living organisms in the substance invade the larvae of the grub and kills them. The substance, however, does not harm the lawn, just the grub.
In biological control, living organisms attack other living organisms so it figures that you need to be quite particular and accurate when targeting the pest. If the biological organism isn't suited to attacking the pest you obviously won't make any difference.
Biological control is safe, usually effective, and long-lasting compared to chemical control. Of course, if you don’t have any luck with the biological insect pest controls, there are many chemical insecticides on the market which have become extremely sophisticated and much better for the environment than they used to be.
Birdhouses
