Critters
The mealy bug and the mealy bug destroyer
Two insects in warmer climates are enemies, yet they look do similar they can easily be confused. The mealy bug is a small insect much like a large aphid, but covered with a thick scaly white powdery meal. It moves very slowly and tends to cluster on leaves and in the leaf joints. This insect will suck juices from your treasured plants and, if an infestation is bad enough, can actually kill the plant. It is found on both indoor and outdoor plants.
The mealy bug destroyer (Cryptolaemus montrouzieri) looks just like a Jurassic version of the mealy bug in its larval form. It is much bigger, often up to ½” in length, white, scaly, and powdery. It is also much more active, moving around at a respectable speed for its size as compared to the lethargic mealy bug. This fellow is actually the larva (immature form) of a small ladybug which is less than ¼” big with a blackish body and a dull orange head. Either larva or adult is as much friend as the mealy bug is enemy. It will devour the smaller insect saving you on treatment time and chemical expense. If you see the big fellow (or his little mom), try not to be repulsed by the intimidating body. You want this insect in your garden. (Personally, I have found the mealy bug destroyer most frequently on trees, though it is supposed to be an equal-opportunity predator.) Populations vary with the weather as our winters here can be cool enough to kill off most of the population of the mealy bug destroyer. Fortunately, most of the nasty little mealy bugs fare poorly in cooler winters, too.
The mealy bug is only 1/4” or smaller and is white and “mealy” or covered with a thick scaly white powder over a pink body. You can often see the long pair of white filament-like tendrils protruding from one end of the body. Mealy bugs usually cluster in colonies, the younger ones being smaller and pinker.
The mealy bug destroyer is much larger, friskier, and mimics its prey with a thick waxy white coating that sometimes curls.
The brown garden snail
Okay, this time I’m REALLY taking artistic license. Snails are not remotely related to insects. These guys are actually mollusks and are cousins to clams and shrimp. In fact, it was a major culinary mistake that introduced the brown garden snails to California many years ago when they were imported and introduced to grape vines in the hopes of providing tasty escargot dishes. Unfortunately, these snails turned out to have a greater affinity for our land than we did for their flavor. (They didn’t pass the taste test.) Instead, they spread into the waterways and reproduced at a prodigious rate becoming one of California’s biggest pests. They tend to love iceplant and oleander where they shade themselves from our hot desert sun. There aren’t many plants the brown garden snail won’t chomp into and these pests can decimate an entire planting of seedlings overnight.
Try collecting them under boards at night, or allowing them to drown themselves in shallow saucers of stale beer. (This latter technique may not work if you have a pet dog like I do who adores beer and slurps it up before the snails and slugs can find it.) There are also several products on the market now such as “Sluggo” which is safe to use around children, pets and wildlife. Decollate snails have been approved in this area as a natural predator. These snails have narrow spiraling shells and feed on the eggs and tiny young of the common garden snail. Look for them in garden shops in the spring and place them around your garden. It may take years before they will have a sizeable impact on a large population of snails, but you won’t have to use any other means of combat. (Do not use slug and snail bait with Decollate snails!)]
Natural enemies abound. Birds, especially Road Runners in the desert areas love to eat brown garden snails. Even coyotes have been known to include snails in their diets. Though they may be pests themselves, raccoons and opossums also will occasionally dine on snails as well. Even if you don’t have children or pets, using poisonous bait for the brown garden snail can hurt wildlife either by direct ingestion, or indirectly, by eating a poisoned bird. So I personally advise using any solution other than poison if at all possible.
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How to Spray Fruit Trees in the Home Garden to reduce insect pests
Garden Pests
If you live anywhere near open land, chances are you will be seeing plenty of your local wildlife. Although butterflies and colorful birds are always welcome guests in our gardens, some wildlife is a little less appreciated. With the bounty of lush green in our spring and summer gardens, rabbits are seeking out lawns and gardens to indulge in delectable treats. Gophers, moles and ground squirrels are burrowing pests that slow down in the winter, but become very destructive in spring when they have young to feed. Planting seeds directly into your vegetable or flower garden can attract raiding rodents that will be delighted to chomp them away after dark. Remember that just like rodents, ants will be attracted by household food and water sources. Once close to the house, these latter pests are pleasantly surprised with the cool comforts and myriad food possibilities offered by the ordinary household. Keep food sources out of your garden or sealed in metal cans. Site those bird feeders away from the house so dropped seeds don’t encourage undesirable nocturnal critters to come for a visit. Never leave pet food exposed out in the open. And keep garden refuse and dead foliage cleaned up to minimize hiding places that will house pests. Compost piles are an excellent way to recycle organic waste, but make sure they are not placed too close to the house even if it is convenient for you. The other diners might turn that convenience into a serious problem.
Smaller insect pests can also wreak havoc in your garden. Regularly check foliage of ornamentals and vegetables for aphids. Tender new growth is particularly attractive to sucking and munching insects. Warm climates harbor voracious, destructive sucking insects like mealy bugs, scale and spider mites. The spider mites may not become evident until foliage starts to look bleached. On close inspection, fine webbing and the tiny dots that are the actual mites can be seen. Hosing foliage regularly will help keep insect pests down, especially where your sprinkler or soaker systems are likely to keep foliage dry and safe for these pests. Spider mites are especially fond of edible members of the Solanum family – tomatoes, peppers and eggplant. Damaged foliage will not repair itself, but with the renewed strength of good health, your plants will readily grow fresh new foliage. Ordinary insecticides are not effective on spider mite as these are truly tiny spiders. They are in the arachnid (spider) family and they are not insects. They require poisons made with the appropriate chemicals. Some insecticidal soaps say they will kill spider mite. I haven’t had a lot of success with them personally. Of course, the washing of the leaves does help with or without soap.
To keep plants in your garden resistant to pests, give them the light, soil and water they need. Frequent light feedings (I usually recommend 1/2 of label directions) — or better, home-made manure teas, deep watering appropriate for each type of plant, well-washed foliage and the proper placement will help control insects. Mulching is wonderful to mitigate temperatures around roots and to hold in moisture. Strong plants are more resistant to pests. Keep vegetable gardens netted, fenced or surrounded by chicken wire or hardware cloth to discourage larger critters. For burrowers, line the bottom of your garden beds with metal mesh to bar entry from the bottom of the garden. Raised vegetable garden beds also help fend off larger pests.
Keep a constant lookout for insect and animal pests or disease infections. If you catch problems early, they are more easily treated. A little extra time and vigilance is the best way to avoid having to battle many pests during the growing season in your garden.
The Earwig or Pincerbug
Like most children, I used to have a dread of these evil creatures armed with formidable tools of torture and likely to seek entry in the ears of the unsuspecting. Even the common names of ‘Earwig’ or ‘Pincerbug’ instilled horror. Of course, the fears were ridiculous. Yet, even today, these skittering insects can still make me cringe. Although they can do some light damage in the garden, they do not merit the hatred they inspire. They will nibble at tender shoots, soft fruits and vegetables and seedlings. They like to hide in shady spots like flowers and buds and come wriggling out at alarming speeds as if to attack when they are disturbed. But despite the unappealing behaviors of these scary looking insects, they actually do more good than harm. Most earwigs, especially the striped earwig (Labidura riparia) common in my area, are heavy predators on pests such as aphids and immature destructive caterpillars. They are especially helpful in ridding fruit trees of aphid insects. Since they have no strength in their pincers, they are incapable of inflicting injury of any sort on humans or pets.
I prefer to leave earwigs or, if you prefer, pincerbugs — alone and to tolerate the occasional repulsion they cause me. If they are becoming too destructive to your corn or other crops, you can lay down a board under which they’ll hide and collect them early in the morning when they’re still inactive. Heavier insecticides are an alternative but should be kept away from edibles. Since poisons are likely to destroy other helpful insects and pollute your mini-environment, I personally feel it is preferable to deal with the emotional dislike and simply leave the insects alone to hunt out more damaging insects.
Also see:
Insect pests that attract ants
Green Lacewing (Chrysopidae)
Green Lacewings are garden friends
Like the Ladybug, the larva of the Lacewing is even more efficient at pest control than the adult. In fact, some species are predators only in the larval form, the adult lacewing feeding on nectar, honeydew and pollen. Predatorial lacewings in both stages of growth will consume many times their weight in aphids, mites, mealybugs, whiteflies and other insect pests. The Lacewing adult is a delicate green insect with smoothly rounded transparent wings outlined and veined green. The larva is usually a pale to medium brown color with tiny black or dark brown markings.
You’ll be more likely to notice the adult green lacewing at night when it is attracted to the light from electric bulbs. Sometimes I’ll find them taking a nap on a window screen. These delicate looking insects are definitely friends to your garden so treat them with respect. I must admit one larva proved its voracious habits by trying to take a bite out of my hand some time ago. I was surprised at the sting the little critter caused, but it left no damage. Since then, I’ve decided it is better to let these insects feed on my garden pests instead of me.
Although it is less well known than the popular Ladybug, the Green Lacewing is equally welcome in the garden. The larval form even looks a little like a light-colored form of the Ladybug larvae, both immature insect forms resembling little alligators.
So, if you see either the adult forms or the larvae of the Green Lacewing (Chrysopidae) in your garden, let it go to work. These insects can help keep your garden free of troublesome insect pests. Keeping a close eye on your good insects will help you make better choices when it comes to using a lot of insecticides in your garden — especially with edible plants.
Don’t confuse these garden pals with the destructive Lacebug (Tingidae). The Green Lacewing looks entirely different. The Lacebug has a triangular shape and textured, glass-like wings. The latter is a pest that will suck juices from woody plants and is decidedly not a friend!
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