The Good, The Bad and The Bugly

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The Good, The Bad and The Bugly

• Bill Garlette
• Newport News Cooperative Extension Master
  Gardener
• william.garlette_at_cox.net

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Controlling Plant Problems Without
PoisonsBio-Intensive IPM

• Bill Garlette
• Newport News Cooperative Extension Master
  Gardener
• william.garlette_at_cox.net

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Agenda

• Healthy Soil
• Cast of Critters
• How to Attract the Good Guys
• More Good Guys
• How to Handle this Stuff Without Toxins
• More on Less Toxins
• Qs

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• Just Say No To Garden and Lawn Drugs

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The Good, The Bad and The Ugly

• 95 of Pest and Disease Control is attributable
  to plant health.
• 99 of Plant Health is dependent on healthy
  soil.
• 100 of Soil Health is dependent on good organic
  content and biological diversity.
• 100 of Soil Health problems are due to
  chemicals, pesticides and other man-made
  interference.

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Remember

• Soil is at the root of all your plant problems!

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Also
Keep the 4 Bs in Mind when we Battle the
Backyard Bad Boys
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The Good, The Bad and The Bugly

• Bugs
• Birds Bats
• Botanicals
• Biota (microbes or the Teeny Team)
• OK, 5 Bs

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What We Dread

• Germs Disease
• Bugs
• Weeds

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The Outcome

• If we win the war to control Nature, we WILL be
  on the losing side!

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BioIntensive IPM

• When we kill off the natural enemies of a pest
  we inherit their work
• - Carl Huffaker

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Seven Organic Rules

• Always use the best adapted varieties for each
  environment.
• Plant in the preferred season.
• Balance the mineral content of the soil.
• Build and maintain the soil organic content
  humus.
• Do nothing to harm the beneficial soil life.
• Consider troublesome insects and diseases as
  symptoms of one of the above rules having been
  violated
• Be patient. Mother Nature gives birth, but
  Father Time controls the cycles
• - from Lessons in Nature by Malcolm Beck

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The Good, The Bad and The Bugly

• How did plants survive B.C. (Before Chemicals)?

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The Good, The Bad and The Bugly

• The Soil Food Web is comprised of microorganisms
  that provide nutrients and health to the plants
  as well as the soil.

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The Dirt on Soil Overcoming Poor Soil
Function of Soil Organisms
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Principals of Organic Horticulture Function of
Soil Organisms
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The Good, The Bad and The Bugly Function of
Soil Organisms

• Fill a Swimming Pool with Salt
• Osmotic Shock

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The Good, The Bad and The Bugly Function of
Soil Organisms

• Just Say No To Garden and Lawn Drugs
• Osmotic Shock

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The Good, The Bad and The Bugly Function of
Soil Organisms

• Soils rich in organic matter tend to suppress
  plant pathogens.
• In addition, it is estimated that 75 of all
  insect pests spend part of their life cycle in
  the soil, and many of their natural enemies occur
  there as well.

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How To Get Healthy Soil

• Compost
• Natural Minerals and Organic Nutrients
• Other Organic Residues
• Organic Mulches

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Questions?
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The Good, The Bad and The Bugly
Pest Control Without Poisons
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The Good, The Bad and The Bugly

• Dont Be A Herbicidal Maniac

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The Good, The Bad and The Bugly

• If You Cant Say It Dont Spray It

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The Good, The Bad and The Bugly

• Quiz Time

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The Good, The Bad and The Bugly

• Whats This Used For?
• N-nitrosodiumethylamine
• And This?
• trichloroallyidiisopropylthiolcarbamate

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The Good, The Bad and The Bugly Beneficials
The Good

• Insects
• Plants
• Plants That Attract Beneficial Insects
• Plant Extracts
• Microbes

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Principals of Organic HorticultureBeneficialsBas
ic BioIntensive IPM

• Physical
• Cultural
• Mechanical
• Biological Natural Enemies - Bugs and Microbes,
  etc
• Chemical Plant Organic Extracts

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The Good, The Bad and The Bugly Beneficial
Insects
Everyone recognizes the familiar Ladybug, or
ladybird beetle. Many species have an enormous
appetite for aphids--one of our most common plant
pests. Others prefer scale insects and mites and
are very effective in reducing infestations.
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The Good, The Bad and The Bugly Beneficial
Insects
Ladybug larvae are equally relentless predators.
Their colorful, but ferocious appearance often
causes unknowing gardeners to assume that they
must be harmful. Nothing could be further from
the truth.
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The Good, The Bad and The Bugly Beneficial
Insects
The Praying Mantis is another widely-recognized
insect predator. Nymphs and adults alike lie in
wait for an unlucky insect which strays too
close, then strike out to grab it with their
modified front legs.
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The Good, The Bad and The Bugly Beneficial
Insects
Ambush bugs use the same lie-in-wait tactic.
Notice that their front legs are also enlarged
and modified. The bright yellow colors of this
species camouflage them in their favorite
hideout--goldenrod flower.
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The Good, The Bad and The Bugly Beneficial
Insects
Green Lacewing
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The Good, The Bad and The Bugly Beneficial
Insects
The Lacewing Larvae are miniature monsters when
viewed at close range. They are deadly enemies of
small caterpillars, aphids, and other soft-bodied
insects.
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The Good, The Bad and The Bugly Beneficial
Insects
The lowly Ground and Rove beetles, so common
under logs and debris, is another friend of man.
Both larvae and adults are predaceous and feed on
a wide variety of insects.
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The Good, The Bad and The Bugly Beneficial
Insects
Less common, but still important, Robber flies
are deadly enemies of grasshoppers, wasps, and
other flies which they capture on the wing. Some
of their prey are as large or larger than they
are.
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The Good, The Bad and The Bugly Beneficial
Insects
Tachinid flies are parasites of other insects.
This fly has laid its small white eggs just above
the legs of the caterpillar in front of it. Upon
hatching, the fly maggots will burrow through
their hosts skin and feed on its internal organs.
The caterpillar will die just as the larvae
emerge and complete their development.
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The Good, The Bad and The Bugly Beneficial
Insects
In addition to these flies, many Small Wasps are
important parasites of other insects. Adult
parasites range in size from very small. Most
range in size from 2 to 15 mm. Larvae of most
parasites develop inside the bodies of their
prey, but some feed externally or pupate outside
the host's body. These parasites are important in
suppressing populations of many insects. They are
important for control of loopers, cutworms, and
aphids.
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The Good, The Bad and The Bugly Beneficial
Insects
Tiphia Wasps are important parasites of Japanese
Beetles. Adult parasites range in size from very
small. Larvae of most parasites develop inside
the bodies of their prey, but some feed
externally or pupate outside the host's body.
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The Good, The Bad and The Bugly Beneficial
Insects
Predaceous Stinkbugs Three predaceous species.
This stinkbug is shown feeding on a caterpillar.
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The Good, The Bad and The Bugly Beneficial
Insects
MINUTE PIRATE BUGS Adults are oval shaped, about
3 mm long, very flat, and marked conspicuously
with black and white. Nymphs are soft-bodied,
yellow or amber colored. Pirate bug adults and
nymphs are very active predators and may be found
on all above ground parts of plants. Active
stages feed by sucking the body fluids from
aphids, spider mites, and immature stages of many
small insects.
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The Good, The Bad and The Bugly Beneficial
Insects
Predator mites control spider mites as well as
other pest mites.
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The Good, The Bad and The Bugly Beneficial
Insects
Assassin bug
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The Good, The Bad and The Bugly Beneficial
Insects
Damselflies Feed on aquatic insects like
mosquitoes, and midges. Dragon Flies or Mosquito
Hawks Feed on aquatic insects and mosquitoes
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The Good, The Bad and The Bugly Beneficial
Plants that Attract Beneficial Insects
There is a technique called Farmscaping. Farmers
plant a patch of plants that attract beneficial
insects at the end of crop rows. We can use this
same principle Gardenscaping. One bed or
border that has exclusively plants that beckon
the good guys. That way we know for certain that
a majority of the bugs on those plants are our
buddies.
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The Good, The Bad and The Bugly Beneficial
Plants that Attract Beneficial Insects
Plants that attract lacewings
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The Good, The Bad and The Bugly Beneficial
Plants that Attract Beneficial Insects
Plants that attract ladybugs
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The Good, The Bad and The Bugly Beneficial
Plants that Attract Beneficial Insects
Plants that attract Tachinid Flies, Hoverflies
Minute Pirate Bugs and Parasitic Mini-Wasps
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The Good, The Bad and The Bugly Beneficial Plants

• Landscape Examples of Gardenscaping

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The Good, The Bad and The Bugly Beneficial Plants

• Landscape Examples of Gardenscaping

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The Good, The Bad and The Bugly Beneficial Plants

• Landscape Examples of Gardenscaping

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The Good, The Bad and The Bugly Beneficial Plants

• Landscape Examples of Gardenscaping

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The Good, The Bad and The Bugly Beneficial Birds
Purple Martin Aerial feeders that forage over
land and water, purple martins eat a variety of
winged insects. These swallows range across the
eastern half of the United States and parts of
the Pacific Coast and Southwest. West of the
Rockies, purple martins often nest in tree
cavities and building crevices, while in the East
they typically nest with as many as 30 pairs in
hotel-like boxes or hanging, hollow gourds. The
migrants often use the same nesting site each
year. In addition to providing nest boxes in the
East, attract the birds with ponds and wetland
areas.
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The Good, The Bad and The Bugly Beneficial Birds
Red-Eyed Vireo Until recent population declines,
red-eyed vireos were one of the most common
woodland birds in North America. These migrants
forage in trees, feeding mainly on crawling
insects--especially caterpillars--but also on
other invertebrates and berries. They range from
the upper Northwest to the East Coast, nesting in
deciduous shade trees. Plant Virginia creeper,
spicebush, elderberry, blackberry and dogwood to
supplement insect diet.
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The Good, The Bad and The Bugly Beneficial Birds
Chipping Sparrow Well-adapted to various
landscapes, chipping sparrows are common
throughout backyards in most of North America,
except for areas of Texas and Oklahoma. They eat
insects and seeds from the ground, shrubs and
trees. These common birds tend to nest in
evergreens, making nests out of grasses, weeds,
roots and hair. Attract them with pines, spruce,
arborvitae and yew.
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The Good, The Bad and The Bugly Beneficial Birds
Downy Woodpecker Smaller than all other North
American woodpeckers, downy woodpeckers readily
visit backyards throughout the United States,
excluding some areas in the Southwest. Their diet
consists mainly of insects, though they also feed
on sap, berries and seeds. The birds excavate
nesting sites in dead trees and stumps, which are
later used by other birds. They prefer deciduous
trees such as aspen and willow, and may eat the
berries of dogwood, mountain ash, serviceberry,
Virginia creeper and poison ivy.
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The Good, The Bad and The Bugly Beneficial Birds
Yellow Warbler Known for their sweet songs,
yellow warblers eat a diet that is about 60
percent caterpillars. They also eat moths,
mosquitoes, beetles and some berries. Widely
distributed throughout North America, yellow
warblers range from Alaska to the majority of the
lower 48 states, except for areas of Texas,
Louisiana, Alabama and Florida. They nest in
small trees and shrubs and often prefer willow.
Plant berry-producing plants native to your area.
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The Good, The Bad and The Bugly Beneficial Birds
Eastern Bluebird With their numbers increasing
due to nest-box projects along "bluebird trails,"
eastern bluebirds occupy semi-open areas east of
the Rockies. They eat a variety of insects, other
invertebrates and berries. Eastern bluebirds nest
in tree cavities, old woodpecker holes and nest
boxes. Plant elderberry, hackberry, dogwood,
holly and Redcedar to supplement their diet.
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The Good, The Bad and The Bugly Beneficial Birds
Baltimore Oriole Colorful migrants that readily
visit backyards, Baltimore orioles eat insects,
fruit and nectar. The songbirds range from the
central Midwest to the Northeast and nest in
hanging pouches in deciduous trees. Plant
blackberry, serviceberry and cherry for food, as
well as elm, sycamore, tupelo and other shade
trees as nesting spots.
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The Good, The Bad and The Bugly Beneficial Birds
House Wren Regular backyard visitors, house
wrens have diets that consist almost exclusively
of insects and spiders. Not very fussy about
sites, these birds may nest in nest boxes,
mailboxes, building crevices--even in pockets of
hanging laundry. House wrens range throughout
most of the lower 48 states during parts of the
year. Include low-lying shrubs (such as American
beautyberry) or brush piles in your yard--sources
for cover, nesting materials and food.
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The Good, The Bad and The Bugly Beneficial Birds
"Birds That Eat Japanese Beetles" --Although the
Japanese beetle (Popillia japonica) has for some
years been one of the East's worst summer insect
pests, the only list of its bird enemies that I
have been able to find is that of Hadley and
Hawley (U.S. Dept. Agric., Circ. 33219, 1934),
who term the Purple Grackle, European Starting,
Cardinal, Meadowlark, Catbird, English Sparrow
and Robin "some of the more important" feeders on
adult beetles, and credit the Grackle, Starling
and Crow with feeding on larvae. I have already
(Wils. Bull., 55 79, 1943) mentioned the Wood
Thrush (Hylocichla mustelina) and Louise F. A.
Tanger (Bull. Lane. Co., Pa., Bird Club, No. 7
5-6, 1945, miracog.) mentions the Brown Thrasher
(Toxostomar ufum) as feeding on adults.
Observations in Baltimore in 1945 and 1946 enable
me to add the Red-headed Woodpecker (Melanerpese
ythrocephalus) Blue Jay (Cyanocittac ristata),
Kingbird(Tyrannus tyrannus) , Scarlet Tanager
(Piranga olAyacesa) and Mockingbird (Mimus
polyglottost)o the roll of feeders on adult
beetles. Of these, the Red-headed Woodpecker has
been the heaviest feeder a few of the birds
visited a badly infested elm many times a day
during more than a week that it was watched, and
single birds captured beetles at rates as high as
12 in 10 minutes. As for the other species, I
have from two to a number of observations for all
but the Mockingbird, which I have only once seen
eating beetles"
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The Good, The Bad and The Bugly Beneficial Birds
These birds, of course, are not alone in
consuming backyard pests. Many other
species--such as the northern cardinal and
black-capped chickadee--eat insects or feed them
to their young during the summer. Yet as summer
winds down, your efforts to attract birds
shouldn't come to a halt. The natural foods you
provide in your yard throughout the year will
encourage these birds to visit again. As a
result, the birds may return and combat a new
generation of insects the next year.
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The Good, The Bad and The Bugly Basic
BioIntensive IPM

• Physical
• Cultural
• Mechanical
• Biological
• BioPesticides
• Plant Pesticides
• Microbial Pesticides

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The Good, The Bad and The Bugly

• Biorational Pesticides
• Although use of this term is relatively common,
  there is no legally accepted definition.
• Biorational pesticides are generally considered
  to be derived from naturally occurring compounds
  or are formulations of microorganisms.
• Biorationals have a narrow target range and are
  environmentally benign.
• Formulations of Bacillus thuringiensis, commonly
  known as Bt, are perhaps the best known
  biorational pesticide.

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The Good, The Bad and The Bugly Botanical
Pesticides

• Botanical pesticides are prepared in various
  ways. They can be as simple as pureed plant
  leaves, extracts of plant parts, or chemicals
  purified from plants. Pyrethrum, neem
  formulations, oil extracts (rosemary, garlic,
  etc) and rotenone are examples of botanicals.

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The Good, The Bad and The Bugly

• Particle film barriers
• A relatively new technology, particle film
  barriers are currently available under the
  tradename Surround WP Crop Protectant which is a
  kaolin clay. Diatomaceous Earth (DE) is a
  standard product used as a barrier.

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The Good, The Bad and The Bugly Beneficial Plants

• TRUE LAVENDER LavandulaThe most fragrant
  lavender. Beautiful lavender flowers on long
  stems and narrow green leaves. When planted in
  the garden, it will deter pests with its
  fragrance. When dried and placed in closets and
  drawers with clothes, it will deter moths and
  lend its wonderful fragrance to the clothes.

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The Good, The Bad and The Bugly Beneficial Plants

• Garlic
• There are several types of garlic. Ornamental
  garlic is prized by flower arrangers for twisting
  stalks and large flower heads. Garlic has other
  uses in the garden. It is considered a companion
  plant to cabbage, eggplant, tomatoes, and
  lettuce, since it controls aphids. It may inhibit
  the growth of peas and beans growing nearby.
  Planted around fruit trees, it controls leaf curl
  and discourages borers. Controlling aphids, as
  well as deterring Japanese beetles, makes it a
  good companion plant for roses. I would also try
  the wonderful ornamental garlic around the roses.

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The Good, The Bad and The Bugly Beneficial Plant
Extracts

• Neem Tree Extracts and Neem Oil
• Only effects insects that feed on plants treated
  with Neem.
• Insect Growth Regulator (IGR) Disrupts the
  larval and instar stages.
• Interferes with insect reproductive systems.
• Outright kills some insects.
• Fungal Deterrent

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The Good, The Bad and The Bugly Beneficials

• This is just the beginning of good stuff out
  there. The To Be Continued includes
• Beneficial Bacteria, Fungus and Nematodes
• Essential Oil Extracts
• Trap Crops
• Trap Ravines
• And Many More In The Backyard bad Bug Brigade

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The Good, The Bad and The Bugly

• Quiz Time Again

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The Good, The Bad and The Bugly

• Is This A Good Guy or A Bad Guy?

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The Good, The Bad and The Bugly

• How About This One?

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The Good, The Bad and The Bugly

• And This One?

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Questions?
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The Good, The Bad and The Bugly

• Bill Garlette
• Newport News Cooperative Extension Master
  Gardener
• william.garlette_at_cox.net

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