We talk to maybe fifteen to twenty people per year who had already taken the plunge into biocontrol and Integrated Pest Management (IPM), failed at it, dropped out, but are back to give it another go because they like the quantity and perceived quality of our supporting information. They felt they weren’t given enough info when they dealt with their previous beneficial insect supplier. That’s what they know. What they don’t know, as we sometimes learn, runs deeper and is more damaging still.
Sharing Accurate Information
We pride ourselves in the extent of our information — and we were the first in the industry to even attempt to spill the beans and spell out the facts as we’re known for. We know first hand how difficult getting good information can be. Trying to get basic information when we started was akin to extracting wisdom teeth. Thus, we decided back in 1993 that we needed to provide literature and resources capable of educating our potential and existing customers. Since then we’ve slowly seen more information become available in the industry. The quantity of freely available information outside of university systems is on the rise. This is good, but now the quality of information needs to be addressed.
Have you ever something this ladybug (Hippodamia convergens) copy in a mail order bug catalog?
Ladybugs (Hippodamia convergens): These red and black beetles devour aphids, whiteflies, thrips, whiteflies, spider mites, mealybugs, scales, insect eggs, and other soft-bodied pests. — Some Bug Seller
We have. And while it may factually correct in some conditions, it’s also very misleading. Here’s how it should read:
Ladybugs (Hippodamia convergens): These red and black beetles, if properly applied in a timely manner can significantly impact aphid populations. Being opportunistic predators, these beetles may also consume insect eggs and other soft-bodied pests, but they shouldn’t be relied on for pests other than aphids. — Better Bug Seller
You’ll find something along those lines in our catalog. From a sales perspective it’s not as powerful as the first claim. That’s because it doesn’t take as many liberties with the truth. From the perspective of candidness, though, it’s great. And the reader, fortunately, understands the facts before plunking down their hard-earned dollars on good bugs that actually aren’t capable of doing what they are supposed to according to the first bit of sales copy.
A Second Chance
These folks come to us, we set them straight, and they embark on a more fulfilling journey into the world of biological control. They are often upset that they weren’t told these things the first time they tried. We should all be upset. Suppliers, customers, educators, the environment — everyone suffers by the customer dropping out of the game for years or even longer. And that they’re dropping out because a dealer couldn’t be bothered to tell it how it is in their quest for a twenty dollar purchase, this becomes absolutely infuriating.
And we’ve seen worse than that. Several years ago we read one catalog that sold praying mantis egg cases that not only did their praying mantises control all of the pests mentioned for the ladybugs (as noted in the first quote) — which is one heck of a stretch of the imagination for anyone in the know — they also claimed that their mantises could control white grubs. White grubs?! That’s not even close to the truth. Even individually equipped with shovels, pick-axes, and illuminated miners’ helmets, praying mantises aren’t going to eat white grubs.
We have to wonder how many potential clients were disappointed and lost for five years or more thanks to that imaginative bit of sales copy. Nothing more than a bunch of lies, and all for a $5.00 sale. Sad.
Consumers
If it sounds too good to be true, then it probably isn’t. $20.00 worth of ladybugs to cure all that ails your plants? White grub-eating mantids? These sound good, too good, and that should be your queue to be reserved. Do ask questions and if anything seems to be amiss take the time to take a second look. Biocontrols do work, they are a viable alternative to pesticides, but there is stuff you need to know, steps that must be followed, and care must be taken. If good bugs worked as well as some of the claims we’ve seen, everybody would be using them and chemical pesticides would be a thing of the past.
Dealers
Please sell your bugs honestly. Imagine having the same folks in the following year to buy again and the concept of honesty will be more palatable. Not that you are intentionally being dishonest. We suspect, and hope to be correct, that most dealers who sell beneficials improperly are doing so based on the information and literature they got from someone higher up in the food change. So, this falls squarely on the shoulders of the producers and distributors for starters. Dealers cannot be forthright if they are kept in the dark.
It pays to be honest. Check it out.
