Title: A closer look at Beneficial and Harmful Insects
1A closer look at Beneficial and Harmful Insects
Good Bugs
Bad Bugs
- Presented By
- Lauren Murphy
- Edward OConnell
- Jordan Roach
2- Not all insects are pests in fact, a great many
of them are beneficial to man. - Entomologists recognize the good done by
beneficial insects as well as the injury done by
harmful ones.
3?
Good Bug
Bad Bug
or
Good!
Ladybug or Ladybeetle
4?
Good Bug
Bad Bug
or
Bad!
Aphids
5?
Good Bug
Bad Bug
or
Mealybugs
Bad!
6?
Good Bug
Bad Bug
or
Good!
Lacewing
7?
Good Bug
Bad Bug
or
Bad!
Japanese Beetle
8?
Good Bug
Bad Bug
or
Good!
Praying Mantis
9?
Good Bug
Bad Bug
or
Bee
Good!
10?
Good Bug
Bad Bug
or
Bad!
Spider Mites
11Beneficial Insects
- Predators, parasites, and pollinators are the
most important beneficial insects. - Good bugs aid the gardener in many ways. They
aid in production of flowers by pollination,
destroy various weeds, improve soil conditions,
and pray on harmful insects in the garden. Some
good bugs are Ladybugs or Ladybeetles, Lacewings,
Praying Mantis, Bees and many Wasps, Assasin Bug
and all of their larvae are beneficial feeding on
many bugs.
12Pollinating Insects
- There are many important pollinating insect
species in the orders - Hymenoptera (bees, wasps, and ants)
- Lepidoptera (butterflies and moths)
- Diptera (flies)
- Coleoptera (beetles)
- As adults these insects feed on pollen and/or
nectar from flowers. They forage from plant to
plant and may initiate pollination by
transferring pollen from an anther to a stigma.
Female bees (Apoidea) and pollen wasps
(Masarinae) provision their nests with pollen
and/or nectar that they actively collect onto
their bodies. Their larvae then feed on the
collected pollen and nectar. Yucca moth
(Prodoxidae) larvae do not feed on pollen or
nectar but on the seeds of yucca plants. The
adults pollinate the yucca plant by actively
collecting pollen onto their palps and then
placing the collected pollen on a receptive
stigma to ensure proper seed set for their
offspring.
13- Pollinators are usually multi-habitat insects,
requiring resources found in different habitats
at different times. For instance most pollinating
insects require - Nest sites (many bees and wasps)
- Larval feeding sites (beetles, butterflies,
moths, flies, and some wasps) - Hunting sites (some wasps and flies)
- Over-wintering sites
- Furthermore, all of these sites must occur in
areas with optimal (or at least tolerable) light,
temperature, and humidity levels, and perhaps
have relatively low densities of natural enemies.
The dependence of native pollinators on the
appropriate habitats must be recognized .
Populations will not persist in a habitat if all
life stage requirements are not met. A bumble bee
species might require abandoned rodent burrows
for nest sites and a particular range of flower
types as pollen and nectar sources. Many solitary
bees and wasps require specific nesting
substrates (e.g., soil banks, decaying wood), as
well as a variety of materials for nest
construction such as mud, resin, leaves, plant
hairs, or pebbles. These resources support the
pollinator populations, and in return, the
pollinators aid in the reproduction and
maintenance of genetic diversity of the plant
community and interact with other organisms as
prey or host items.
14Bees
15 The Orchard Mason Bee is the common name of
a nonsocial native bee (Osmia lignaria ssp.) that
pollinates our spring fruit trees, flowers and
vegetables. This gentle, blue-black metallic bee
does not live in hives. In nature it nests within
hollow stems, woodpecker drillings and insect
holes found in trees or wood. Sometimes there may
be dense collections of individual nest holes,
but these bees neither connect or share nests,
nor help provision or protect each others' young.
Also, they are active for only a short period of
the year. They are not aggressive and one may
observe them at very close range without fear of
being stung, which makes them excellent for
enhancing our yards and gardens. They add beauty,
activity and pollination to our plantings.
However, they do not produce honey.
16- About Orchard Mason Bees
- The female Orchard Mason Bee visits flowers to
collect pollen for its young. She forms a small
ball of pollen and nectar in the back of the
nesting tube and lays an egg on the ball. She
then collects mud to form a cell partition and
repeats the pollen ball-egg laying process until
she reaches the mouth of the tube where she caps
the end with mud. Starting the life cycle in the
spring, adult males emerge from tubes first, but
must wait for the later appearance of the females
in order to mate. This event often coincides with
the redbud (Cercis) bloom. Females alone, begin
founding new nests in holes to make a row of 5-10
cells in each nest. Females collect the pollen
and nectar and lay eggs. Their short foraging
range is about 100 yards from the nest. Activity
continues 4-6 weeks and then adults die. During
the summer, larvae develop inside the nests, make
cocoons, and become new adults resting in the
cells. With the onset of fall, the adults become
dormant as they go into hibernation. These bees
require some cold temperatures before spring in
order to break their dormancy.
17- Nest Block Construction
- The native eastern species of Orchard Mason Bee
will nest in holes drilled in a wooden block.
Untreated 4" x 6" lumber works great. Holes can
be drilled in the wood on 3/4 inch centers. They
should be 4-8" deep (depending upon the size
lumber used), smooth, and a 5/16" diameter hole
is important. A smaller hole encourages higher
production of male bees which reduces the
reproductive potential of the population. Blocks
may be drilled from either face giving shallower
or deeper holes. Shallower holes may produce more
male bees. Do not drill completely through the
lumber. Drill the hole to a depth about 1/2 inch
from the back of the block. Attach a roof to
provide protection from the midday sun and rain.
Outside surfaces may be painted or stained, but
do not use wood preservatives. One hole may be
drilled in the back to provide a means of hanging
the block. Face nesting blocks as close to the
southeast direction as possible to catch morning
sun and affix it firmly so that it does not sway
in the wind. It should be located at least three
feet above the ground. -
18- These bees need mud to construct cell
partitions, so adding a mud supply may be helpful
if needed. This can be a trench or tub located
nearby where muddy soil is maintained during the
nesting period. The mud should not be highly
organic or sandy. Clay soils work well. - Do not move the blocks during the weeks of
active nesting. Once all nesting activity has
stopped, the nesting block may be moved to a
shelter such as a shed or unheated garage. Be
gentle when moving occupied blocks at this time
of year. This will give the bees added protection
from predators and parasites, yet will allow them
exposure to the cold temperatures that they need
to break hibernation. If desired, bee emergence
can be delayed for a short period by
refrigerating the block in the spring until you
are ready for the bees to emerge. Bees will need
three days to warm up following refrigeration.
19Butterflies
20Numerous butterflies feed on nectar from flowers
as adults, but some may use sap, fruit, aphid
honeydew, mud, dung, carrion, or blood. Most
adults are spurious pollinators, because food
intake is not always necessary and are
opportunistic, with each individual visiting
perhaps dozens of plant species. The larvae
typically feed on the flowers, fruits, stems, or
roots of their host plants and in some species,
the adult will feed on the nectar of the host
plant and may aid in the pollination of that
plant.
21Choosing the Right Flowers
- To help pollinator insects, you should provide a
range of plants that offers a succession of
flowers through the whole growing season.
Patches of foraging habitat can be created in
many different locations. Even a small area with
the right flowers will be beneficial. - Tips
- Use local native plants
- Choose several colors of flowers
- Plant flowers in clumps
- Have a diversity of plants flowering all season
22Harmful Insects
- Aphids
- Japanese Beetles both larvae and adults
- Lacebugs
- Mites
- Caterpillars Worms
- Adelgids
- Mealybugs
23Insects that Feed on Juices Aphids Spider Mites
Scale Insects Mealy Bugs, Whiteflies, and
Psyllids True Bugs and Leafhoppers Insects that
Feed on Leaves Caterpillars Sawflies Leafminers
Leaf Beetles Insects that Bore into Wood Borers
Barkbeetles Tip Moths Other Wood Chewing
Insects Insects that Produce Gals Galls
24Aphids
Wingless
Winged
Nymph
25Resources
- WWW.ISU.EDU
- National
- Selecting Plants for PollinatorsPollinating
Insect-Biology, Management, Systematics -
USDA ARS Pollinator Conservation Program - The
Xerces SocietyStatus of Pollinators in North
AmericaNBII Pollinators ProjectAlternative
Pollinators - NSAISMontana Native Plants for
Pollinator-Friendly Plantings Protection of
Pollinators (Cropland) - High Plains IPM Guide - International
- The Pollinator PartnershipNorth American
Pollinator Protection CampaignUniversity of
Basel Botanical Image Database - WWW.EXT.VT.EDU
- Insects of Trees, Shrubs, Annuals, and Perennials
- http//pubs.ext.vt.edu/456/456-018/Section_4_Home_
Ornamentals-3.pdf - Protecting Honey Bees
- http//pubs.ext.vt.edu/456/456-016/Section-1_Prote
cting_Honeybees.pdf - Garden Insects/Pests
- http//pubs.ext.vt.edu/category/garden-insects-pes
ts.html