Nature's pest management strategies

Nature uses interesting methods to manage its pests. As we apply these same principles to our gardens, we can enjoy the same fruits. These principles of natural pest management are key as we continue our series on combining ecological or natural principles with agricultural systems, which is the science of agroecology.

To discuss Nature's methods of managing pests, I would like to give you a pop quiz with two questions: How many species of insects exist in the world? This does not refer to individuals in a population or the number of different populations of a given species, but to different types of organisms. The answer? Nobody really knows, but the best estimates are over 1,000,000 species. Now the second question: Of those 1,000,000 species of insects, what percentage of them are pests to our plants? The answer? Less than 1%.

The answer to those two questions creates a whole new line of inquiry. The next question that might arise in your mind is this: If only 1% of all of those insect species are pests, what do the other 99% do? The answer is that they are either beneficial (helping us in some way), or innocuous (doing nothing—either good or bad; though I would submit that greater investigation would yield that their roles are always good, but that science doesn't necessary understand their roles yet). These 99% could be predators (like robber flies that eat catch flies out of the air and eat them), parasitoids (like wasps that lay their eggs in pest aphids, eventually killing them), pollinators (like bees that transfer pollen between plants allowing fruit to grow), or countless others that decompose, recycle, or are simply additional steps in a food chain to support the web of life.

So, if 99% of all insect life is good, I want to preserve them. After all, they are helping me to regulate pests, pollinate my flowers, produce fruit, recycle my yard clippings and prunings, etc. Further, I would like to encourage them and protect them, because if I can better support them, then they might be able to help me even more, such as by further regulating any pests that might arise.

How might I encourage them to stay in my garden? The word of the day is "refugia". Refugia is similar to the word refuge and leads to the same idea—a place of protection. That is, I can provide places in my garden that would "refuge" my beneficial insects. These might be beds of flowers where they can find pollen and nectar, a minimal source of water (even a hose with a very small drip) where they can drink, somewhere protected where they can be sheltered during inactive periods or against inclement conditions, etc. When I increase the refugia in my garden, the beneficial insect populations (not to mention other beneficial pest predators like birds, bats or amphibians) will increase.

Many places online will offer different ideas of plants that can work as refugia. Use these resources and experiment with additional plants or spaces that you enjoy and that grow well in your area. As a general rule, you will want mixes of plants that have long flowering periods and ensure that something is always flowering in the garden. Include plants with varied flower sizes and shapes and colors, etc. Also try adding some permanent spaces on the ground like ornamental rocks or pots where these beneficial insects can hide when they are not active.

As we practice planting a variety of flowers and protected spaces in our gardens, the 99% of beneficial insects will help us to regulate and manage the 1% of insect pests in our gardens. Give it a try and let us know how it works for you!

Here's to one of the best growing seasons you have ever experienced. Send your gardening questions to: info@meadowview.com and we'll do our best to assist you.

Meadow View Growers

34 years of growing for you

www.meadowview.com.

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