It Might Be Eden – But Not for Insect Pests

Many greenhouse growers in New York State are using biological control — sending in bug warriors to rid their greenhouses of pest insects — but not all of them get to be on TV.  Mark and Kevin Zittel of Amos Zittel and Sons Farm in Eden NY have been working hard to learn how to use beneficial insects to reduce the number of chemical pesticides they have to apply to their bedding plants and vegetable transplants.  It’s not easy — but they have billions of tiny bugs, wasps and mites to help them control aphids and thrips.

This tiny pirate bug, aka orius bug, is harsh on thrips and other pests.
This tiny pirate bug, aka orius bug, is harsh on thrips (that “sideways parentheses mark” is a thrips) and other pests.

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Check with your local growers, too.  You might be surprised to find out that there are tiny IPM assistants finding and feeding on those insects ready to damage the petunias and pepper plants in the garden center near you!

 

Photo credit: Whitney Cranshaw, Colorado State University.