Predator insects anybody using them?

Jared77

Garden Addicted
Joined
Aug 1, 2010
Messages
2,616
Reaction score
974
Points
277
Location
Howell Zone 5
Anybody using them? Praying mantis or lady bugs? At Flower Day (Eastern Market in Detroit MI) there is a guy who sells the egg clusters of both to take home and hatch. I see him every year but never had a garden big enough to want to try them. As we've made the plans to expand for next year I've been wondering if its worth hatching them and turning them loose in the garden.

They are not expensive so I figured why not, just wondering if anybody else has any experiences they wouldn't mind sharing.....

Thank you
 

vfem

Garden Addicted
Joined
Aug 10, 2008
Messages
7,516
Reaction score
43
Points
242
Location
Fuquay, NC
I researched certain plants that attracted the predator insects and made sure I added them to my garden. They attracted them on their own.

Generally the predator insects do not stay where you put them even if there is plenty of food. They will also expect the enviroment to meet their needs in several ways outside of food sources.

So make sure you do your research so you're not out the money.
 

hoodat

Garden Addicted
Joined
Apr 28, 2010
Messages
3,758
Reaction score
509
Points
260
Location
Palm Desert CA
Here's a good link. Generally speaking you have to take the tiny size of most predators into consideration and use plants that don't have large flowers. A large flower is often too deep for them to reach the nectar.
Ladybugs aren't too useful as they are too mobile. They clean up one infestation of aphids but then take off and aren't there for the next one. Preying mantis are worth having but just because they are a trip to watch. They aren't too useful since they only prey on large insects and can actually eat bees and wasps.
Most of our more useful predators are so tiny you have to know what to look for to see them. An exception is the digger wasp which can do a job on cutworms and other large catterpillars.

http://www.grow-it-organically.com/attracting-beneficial-insects.html
 

Latest posts

Top