Entomologists -- insect experts -- aren't sure exactly how many types of insects there are, but some many thousands of varieties have been named. Only a small percentage of them are harmful to mankind. Integrated pest management, or IPM, uses a variety of low-toxicity methods to control unwanted insects. One of them is the use of beneficial insects to thwart harmful ones. For example, spider mites (figure A) are harmful to many plants, but certain predatory mites (figure B) prey on the undesirable ones.
You can purchase predatory mites -- and other beneficial insects -- at some local nurseries or through mail-order suppliers. Predatory mites are safe to use, and once their job is done, they'll die. Mealybugs are sucking insects (figure C) whose natural enemy is Cryptolaemus montrouzieri, the mealybug destroyer (figure D). Sometimes called "crypts," mealybug destroyers pierce a mealybug's body and suck out its juices.
Scale insects are sucking insects too, and the "honeydew" they excrete may give leaves a shiny look. Scale insects look like tiny beige bumps or turtles without legs. Use parasitic wasps to effectively control scale insects. Lady beetles, or ladybugs, are the aphid's natural enemy. If lady beetles don't find enough aphids on a plant, they won't lay eggs there. Ladybug larvae are even more voracious consumers of aphids than the adult beetles. Because more insects are helpful than harmful, it's wise to make sure you can identify an insect as a pest before you destroy it.
RESOURCES :
Bozeman Bio-Tech
Natural Insect Control
The Bug Store
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