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| Photo Credit: ©2003 Buglady Consulting |
| This little guy is a beneficial insect. It’s a parasite of sawflies. Using organic-approved products helps keep them working in your garden. | So you’ve made the commitment to garden organically this season. You amend the soil, pick the right plants, use organic fertilizer, and still they come – the insects. While growing a healthy plant reduces your risk for pest problems, it doesn’t mean you can’t get them.If you’ve sprayed pesticides in the past as a preventative and now aren’t, you’ll notice a lot more insect activity. This is most likely a very good thing. If there are pest insects present, there’s a good chance the beneficials will be right there with them. The first thing to do when insects show up is identify them. This can be done by your local county agricultural extension office, garden center or by searching on the Internet. Only a small percent of insects are actually pests, many are beneficial. These beneficial insects, such as ladybugs, lacewings, flower flies and tiny wasps, are often attracted to pest populations to feed and/or lay eggs. You can even grow specific plants to attract these good guys for extra protection. If you find your beneficials aren’t controlling the problem and the number of pests has reached a level where you feel treatment is necessary, you have a few options. You can try just washing the pests off the plants with a strong stream of water. You can even prune off the infested parts.
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