On this page the following entry/entries were made in the month of “March, 2009.” Check out other months in our Archives.
Bug Blog Archives for “March, 2009”
Spined Solider Bug and Attractor Sale
Ah, spring… the time of year when people can use spined soldier bugs, Podisus maculiventris, and the attractors used to lure them to a given location. The timing won’t be perfect for everyone. It’s a little early up here in New England — though you can buy the attractors at any time — and probably a little late in the deep south, but to someone somewhere, our timing couldn’t be better. Spined soldier bugs eat a number of small caterpillars as a variety of other pests.
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Collecting Praying Mantis Egg Cases
Although opinions vary as to how effective mantises are at pest control (as explained elsewhere on this site), they are actually quite interesting creatures to raise and study, and are widely used in high school biology classes. The high demand for mantis egg cases, which can hold 50 to 200 eggs, has led to increased interest in collecting mantis egg cases, which garden supply companies are eager to purchase from dependable suppliers. Where we live in the mid-Atlantic region, there are healthy populations of the Chinese praying mantis, which can a make few hours’ time searching in the right places well worth the muddy boots and occasional scratches that accompany most walks in mantis country. [Mantis country is also tick country. –Ed.]
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Ladybugs Are On Sale Again
Here’s what we hope is another timely discount on one of our more popular biocontrol agents: Ladybugs, Hippodamia convergens. For a limited time, we will be offering a discount on all sizes of the aphid-predatory beetles everyone knows and loves. Ladybugs — being that they can be stored and are inexpensive — are already a great investment. Thanks to this sale, the value is truer than ever.
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A Time For Sprays
We’ve said it many times: In general spray pesticides do not make up a solid or well-supporting segment of an IPM program. They usually do more harm than good, even when the product is supposedly compatible or biorational. Not to say the claim’s a lie, it’s not, but the subject just runs deeper than expected and using sprays can impact a successful program in ways we don’t think of. There are, however, times when spraying something just makes sense. Here are some examples:
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