Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
Plants that Attract Beneficial Insects
Plant
Attracts
Angelica
Lacewings, lady beetles, parasitic wasps
Anise
Lady beetles, parasitic wasps, tachinid flies
family
Asteraceae
(asters, daisies, sun-
flowers)
Bees, hoverflies, lacewings, lady beetles, parasitic wasps, ta-
chinid flies
Dill
Bees, hoverflies, lady beetles, spiders, wasps
Lovage
Beneficial wasps, (shelters) ground beetles
Marigold
Hoverflies, parasitic wasps
Nasturtium
Spiders, ground beetles
Zinnia
Bees, lady beetles, parasitic wasps, parasitic flies
Bad Bugs
Bug
Description
Organic Antidote
Aphids
Aphids are small, sucking insects that eat the
soft tissue in plants- particularly new growth.
Look for them in the head of the plant or on
the underside of leaves. They're about
1
⁄
10
-inch
long and green, black, brown, or gray in color.
Aphids rarely cause severe damage to plants,
but they do reproduce quickly, so eliminate
them early if possible.
Wash off with a heavy stream of water or
homemade soap spray (dissolve one table-
spoon of dish soap into three cups of wa-
ter).
Cabbage
worms
and loop-
ers
A cabbage worm is the larva of a butterfly, and
a cabbage looper is the larva of a moth. Both
like to munch on the brassica family of plants
(such as cabbage and broccoli), as well as leafy
greens. Look for holes in leaves or leaves that
have been reduced, at least in part, to their
spines. The caterpillars have hearty appetites,
so try to catch them while they're small. At full
size, they're about an inch and a half long. The
caterpillars can be difficult to see since they're
green and blend in with the plants. Check the
underside of leaves or in the head of the plant
for piles of moist, dark green frass (poop).
Lure caterpillars off the plant with a stiff
wire or stick. Then snip them with scissors
or drop them into a pail of soapy water.
Use a floating row cover to help prevent
them from coming into contact with
plants.
Cucumber
beetle
Cucumber beetles primarily affect cucumbers,
squash, and melons. There are two
kinds—striped, which has a yellow body and
Handpick and squish beetles, and prune
off and destroy any plant parts that show
