Controlling pests in the vegetable garden and garden plot is not an easy task and requires constant attention. However, dacha owners and gardeners are not alone in this struggle. On their side are thousands of insects, which are indispensable helpers in the protection of fruits and vegetables. Some of these insects are well known and understood, while others may seem grim and cruel, but their usefulness is undeniable.
One of the most famous garden helpers is the ladybug. This small insect is capable of eating up to 40-50 aphids a day, and its larvae destroy even more. Just a few ladybugs can kill up to half a thousand parasites in one day! This is an impressive figure for reducing the number of aphids on plants.
However, aphids are able to multiply much faster than ladybugs can destroy them. Even so, ladybugs don’t fight pests alone. They get help from other insects, such as predatory bugs. Predatory bugs, despite their scent and biting jaws, are effective at controlling aphid aggregations. Studies show that they can destroy up to 95% of fruit mite clusters.
Another beneficial insect that helps control pests is the beetle bug. Beetles are large bugs that chase pests on the ground. They are very strong and many of them can’t even fly. Garden beetles are the most common species of beetles found in gardens and vegetable gardens. They are agile and aggressive, and they prey on caterpillars and snails. The only drawback of these beetles is that they are not shy about attacking their congeners.
Trichogramma is another beneficial insect that helps protect fruits and vegetables from caterpillars. It only attacks moths and helps prevent caterpillars from invading. Trichogramma does not have the strength and ability to directly fight pests, but it does have a long and thin ovipositor, which it uses to pierce butterfly eggs and hide its offspring there. The caterpillars fail to hatch because they are eaten early. As a result, the already fully formed fly leaves the egg and is ready to plunder the next batch of eggs. Interestingly, some companies breed trichogramma and sell tens or hundreds of millions of flies per year.
In conclusion, we can say that insects are indispensable helpers in the fight against pests in the vegetable garden and garden plot. Ladybugs, predatory bugs, beetles and trichogramma all play an important role in preserving crops and protecting plants from pests. Therefore, dacha owners and gardeners should appreciate these small but useful insects.
