Increasing Beneficial Insects in Row Crops and Gardens
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For many pest chance of killing beneficial insects. beneficial insects also feed on plant insects, the most important check on nectar. their populations is the activity of beneficial insects. If populations of Less than 5 percent • Provide water if possible. beneficial insects are allowed to of all insects are pests. • Place blooming flowers in sunshine and increase throughout the growing in locations with minimal wind. season, they can reduce pest • Maintain diversity in varieties, height, populations of moths, aphids, mites Some insects, such as honeybees and color and blooming period of plants. and bugs by 20 to 40 percent. butterflies, are considered beneficial because of the important role they • Use as little pesticide as possible. play in plant pollination. The insects Insects are always active in the described in this guide are considered garden, and the vast majority beneficial because they feed on other predacious. Adult beetles have two can be classified as beneficial. insects (Table 1). They are either pairs of wings: a pair of forewings that predators or parasites. Predators are colored and leathery, and a pair actively hunt and feed on other of membranous hind wings that are The more diverse the habitat insects. Many predatory beneficial folded beneath. surrounding a field or the more insects are generalists that feed on diverse the plants — especially many types of prey. The parasites are Ground beetles flowering plants — in a garden, the usually flying wasps or flies that lay Adult ground beetles have black greater the number of beneficial their eggs on or in the body of certain or dark metallic coloring (Figure 1). insects that will be present. Mixed kinds of insects. The young feed on Most adult beetles are nocturnal; they plantings attract a larger variety of and often destroy their hosts. prowl the soil and its surface at night beneficial insects because many of Noninsect predators are also in search of food. Ground beetles feed these insects use nectar and pollen as beneficial in row crops and gardens. on soil-dwelling and aboveground supplemental food. Examples include spiders and pests. The larvae are brown or black Reducing synthetic chemicals in a predatory mites, which are also and have a wormlike shape, but they field or garden can greatly enhance described in this guide. Collectively, are rarely seen because they remain beneficial insect populations. Many pollinating insects, predatory and underground. insecticides are broad-spectrum and parasitic insects, and noninsect can have adverse effects on beneficial predators that help control pests Lady beetles or ladybugs insects. Growers should apply are commonly referred to simply as There are many different species chemicals at a rate and time to reduce “beneficials.” of lady beetles, but most are typically the likelihood of pesticide drift. round or oval shaped with bold Most often the lowest wind speeds patterns and bright colors with spots occur in early morning or evening Beetles (Figure 2). Lady beetle larvae have an Beetles are the largest and most elongated, dark-colored body with diverse group of insects. They go orange and yellow markings (Figure Written by Moneen M. Jones, Research Entomologist, through four stages of development: 3). Adult and larval lady beetles feed Division of Plant Sciences, College of egg, larva, pupa and adult. Both on aphids; mealybugs; soft-bodied Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources the adult and larval stages can be extension.missouri.edu > agriculture > pests and diseases > integrated pest management > ipm1028 Figure 1. Ground beetle. Figure 4. Adult rove beetle. Figure 7. Bigeyed bug feeding on aphid. (Jack Dykinga, USDA) Figure 2. Lady beetle adult. Figure 5. Soldier beetle. (Phil Sloderbeck, Kansas Figure 8. Damsel bug. (Jim Kalisch, University of State University, Bugwood.org) Nebraska-Lincoln, Department of Entomology) Figure 3. Lady beetle larva and eggs. Figure 6. Minute pirate bug feeding on aphid. Figure 9. Stink bug feeding on Colorado potato beetle larva. insects, such as caterpillars; and spider soft wing covers (Figure 5). Larvae distinct larval and pupal stages as do mites. are dark, elongated and flattened. beetles. The larvae are soil dwellers that Rove beetles feed on insect eggs, aphids, small Minute pirate bugs Adult rove beetles are black or caterpillars, root maggots, rootworm or flower bugs brown and have elongated bodies larvae and other soft-bodied insects. Adult pirate bugs or flower bugs with short wings that leave most of Adult beetles feed on aphids; beetle are very small and have a triangular their abdomen uncovered (Figure 4). larvae, including cucumber beetles; head and a long, oval-shaped body These beetles resemble earwigs, but caterpillars; and grasshopper eggs. (Figure 6). They are black or purplish they are smaller and have no pincers. and have white wing patches. Nymphs Rove beetles feed on aphids, mites, are yellow or reddish-brown and fly eggs, maggots, nematodes and True bugs pear-shaped. They feed on small springtails. They are also beneficial True bugs have mouthparts adapted caterpillars, leafhopper nymphs, in decomposition and are often for sucking plant, insect or other spider mites, thrips, aphids and the found around compost piles, manure, fluids. True bugs kill prey by piercing eggs of many other insects. mulches and perennial beds. them and extracting their body fluids. Adults have forewings with Bigeyed bugs Soldier beetles or leather- membranous tips that overlap when Bigeyed bugs are long, oval and winged beetles the bugs are at rest. Bugs start out as somewhat flat, and range in color Adult soldier beetles are elongated wingless nymphs and molt several from black and white to tan (Figure with a red, orange or yellow head and times as they increase in size until they 7). Like the name implies, these bugs abdomen, and black, gray or brown are winged adults. They do not have have prominent bulging eyes and a ipm1028 page 2 University of Missouri Extension Figure 10. Ambush bug. (Kansas Department of Figure 12. Robber fly attacking a grasshopper. Figure 14. Flower fly larva consuming an aphid. Agriculture Archive, Bugwood.org) Figure 11. Wheel bug. Figure 13. Flower fly. (Whitney Cranshaw) Figure 15. Tachinid fly. wider head than other bugs. They feed green. They prey on bees, flies and dwellers, they consume eggs, small on aphids, caterpillars, leafhoppers, wasps. larvae and other soft-bodied insects spider mites and tarnished plant bugs. that also live in the soil. Adults prey on Assassin bugs butterflies, wasps, bees, grasshoppers, Damsel bugs Adult assassin bugs are black, red leafhoppers, beetles and other flies Damsel bugs are slender yellowish- or brown and have a long narrow (Figure 12). brown bugs with an elongated head head with round beady eyes. They and long antennae (Figure 8). They are relatively large insects with a long Syrphid flies feed on aphids, small caterpillars, pair of front legs. Some species of Syrphid flies are also known as leafhoppers, plant bugs, thrips and assassin bugs can inflict a painful bite flower flies or hover flies. These treehoppers. if mishandled. Assassin bugs prey on brightly colored flies are black aphids, leafhoppers, small caterpillars, with yellow or orange markings, Predatory stink bugs flies, and beetle eggs and larvae. One resembling bees and yellowjackets Predatory stink bugs are also known of the most common assassin bugs in (Figure 13). The larvae feed on aphids as spined soldier bugs. Adults are pale Missouri is the wheel bug (Figure 11). (Figure 14). Adults feed on pollen and brown to tan. Their forewings have nectar and are important pollinators. membranous tips that overlap, and a distinct dark line is visible where Predatory flies the wings overlap (Figure 9). Young Flies go through four stages of Parasitic flies nymphs are red and black, whereas development: egg, larva, pupa and Parasitic flies have sponging, older nymphs are marked with red, adult. Fly larvae, which are called sucking or piercing mouthparts. black, yellow-orange and cream maggots, have no legs. Adults are Although they have only one pair of patches. These bugs feed on fall highly mobile fliers with only one wings, they are good fliers and can armyworms, beet armyworms, corn pair of wings. The various species travel great distances. Parasitic flies earworms, European corn borers, of predatory flies can have chewing, are aggressive predators that feed on a diamondback moths, cabbage loopers, piercing, sucking or sponging variety of insects, especially those that imported cabbageworms, Colorado mouthparts, depending on their food are exposed, such as caterpillars and potato beetles, Mexican bean beetles source. leaf-eating beetle larvae. and hairless caterpillars. Robber flies Tachinid flies Ambush bugs Adult robber flies have a well- Tachinid flies are about the size of a Ambush bugs have a stout body developed thorax with long legs and housefly. They are gray or brown and and thickened, mantid-like front legs a tapered, slender abdomen. These are covered with dark bristles (Figure (Figure 10). Their coloring ranges grayish flies are strong fliers with 15). Adult tachinid flies lay eggs on from black to brown to yellow to large eyes. Because the larvae are soil caterpillars, beetles and bugs near ipm1028 page 3 University of Missouri Extension Figure 16.