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Aphid midges are common throughout North America and are often sold for control of more than 60 species of aphids that are destructive to plants. Adults are long-legged, 1/16" flies with prominent antennae and are quite active at night. Both the 1/8" larvae and the small minute eggs are orange. After the adult females lay eggs among aphids, the eggs hatch in 2-3 days and the larvae begin to feed on the aphids by paralyzing them with their toxic saliva, then sucking their bodily fluids. After several days, the larvae burrow into the soil and pupate, only to emerge as adults in about 2 weeks. Larvae will over winter in the soil. The aphid midge is a reliable biological control for aphids in the landscape, except in areas that are dry and windy most of the time. This hardy insect is especially attracted to aphids that feed on roses, fruit trees and other shrubs and can be attracted to stay in the garden by providing nectar and pollen producing plants, shelter from windy areas and a source of water when the weather becomes dry.
Assassin bugs are commonly found throughout North America and in most gardens, that is especially so where chemical pesticides are not frequently used. These voracious insects are general predators and will prey on many kinds of detrimental garden insects including flies, Japanese beetles and various caterpillars and larvae. Adults, to 3/4" long are somewhat flattened, with the abdomen often wider beyond the margin of the wings they have long narrow heads with curved beaks. Adults will lay eggs in crevices on the trunk and stems of plants and the nymphs that develop will be smaller yet similar in appearance to the adults, but wingless. These nymphs develop until the last molt and then hibernate in a pre-adult stage only to emerge as an adult the following summer. This insect, when handled can inflict a painful bite.
Bigeyed bugs are commonly found in western North America and prey upon aphids, leafhoppers, plant bugs, spider mites and small larvae in orchards or on field crops. In appearance, they resemble tarnished plant bugs or chinch bugs, but their big black eyes are a distinct give away. Adults are black, 1/8"-1/4" long, with transparent wings and are very fast moving. Adult females will lay their eggs on stems and on the underside of leaves, with eggs hatching in about 2 weeks. Young nymphs which resemble the adults, but are wingless, will develop for 4-6 weeks and then molt. Adults will over winter in debris around the garden. These bugs are attracted to specific plants for egg laying, among them soybeans, clover, goldenrod, alfalfa and pigweed. Either leave a touch of these types of plants interspersed within or near your garden or collect the insects from these plants and transfer them to your garden.
Braconid wasps are commonly found throughout North America and are an important parasitic predator of such detrimental insects as aphids, armyworms, cabbageworms, caterpillars and other larvae, codling moths, corn borers, flies, gypsy moths, hornworms and several others. Adult wasps are slender with thread-like waists, black to brown in color and about 1/10"- 1/2" long. Adult females inject their eggs into the host insect and larvae, upon hatching they feed internally on the insect. When complete development has taken place, they spin cocoons on or near the dead insect and then pupate. To attract these beneficial wasps to your garden plant nectar producing plants with small flowers such as dill, parsley and yarrow.
This very tiny, parasitic wasp, only 1/64" long, with hair fringed wings, a yellow-brownish abdomen and pink eyes is often sold for control of over 200 species of moths and butterfly eggs that hatch into destructive larvae. These wasps lay their eggs in the eggs of various moths and butterflies. After hatching, the newly developed wasp larvae, moving within the host egg, causes the embryo to die and the eggs to turn black. The larvae will then hibernate in the host egg. Different species of Trichogramma wasps prefer different host insects, for instance, the species Aphelinus mali is parasitic on various kinds of aphids, while Brachymeria ovata prefers the strawberry leaf roller and other hairy caterpillars.
Damsel bugs are predacious feeders of aphids, leafhoppers, plant bugs, thrips and small larvae and are commonly found throughout North America. They are small, somewhat elongated, 3/8"-1/2" long, with gray, brown or black bodies. Their front legs are modified for grasping small insects. Females lay eggs in plant tissue and within 1 week, eggs hatch. Young nymphs which are thin, wingless and smaller than the adults begin feeding immediately, often on insects larger than themselves. In 3-4 weeks they molt to an adult stage. There can be two or more generations per year. You can collect these insects for the garden from alfalfa fields, where they are commonly found, using a sweep net. Plant some alfalfa in the garden to help keep them there. |
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Aphid Midge
(Aphidoletes aphidimyza)
Assassin Bugs (family
Reduviidae)