Beneficial and Harmful Insects

A closer look at Beneficial and Harmful Insects

Presented By:

Lauren Murphy

Edward O’Connell

Jordan Roach

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Not all insects are pests; in fact, a great many of them are beneficial to man.

Entomologists recognize the good done by beneficial insects as well as the

injury done by harmful ones.

Ladybug or Ladybeetle

or ?

Aphids

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Mealybugs

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Lacewing

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Japanese Beetle

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Praying Mantis

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Bee

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Spider Mites

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Beneficial InsectsPredators, parasites, and pollinators are the most

important beneficial insects.

Good bugs aid the gardener in many ways. They aid in production of flowers by pollination, destroy various weeds, improve soil conditions, and pray on harmful

insects in the garden. Some good bugs are Ladybugs or Ladybeetles, Lacewings, Praying

Mantis, Bees and many Wasps, Assasin Bug and all of their larvae are beneficial feeding on many bugs.

Pollinating Insects • There are many important pollinating insect species in the

orders:

• Hymenoptera (bees, wasps, and ants)

• Lepidoptera (butterflies and moths)

• Diptera (flies)

• Coleoptera (beetles)

• As adults these insects feed on pollen and/or nectar from flowers. They forage from plant to plant and may initiate pollination by transferring pollen from an anther to a stigma. Female bees (Apoidea) and pollen wasps (Masarinae) provision their nests with pollen and/or nectar that they actively collect onto their bodies. Their larvae then feed on the collected pollen and nectar. Yucca moth (Prodoxidae) larvae do not feed on pollen or nectar but on the seeds of yucca plants. The adults pollinate the yucca plant by actively collecting pollen onto their palps and then placing the collected pollen on a receptive stigma to ensure proper seed set for their offspring.

• Pollinators are usually multi-habitat insects, requiring resources found in different habitats at different times. For instance most pollinating insects require:

• Nest sites (many bees and wasps)

• Larval feeding sites (beetles, butterflies, moths, flies, and some wasps)

• Hunting sites (some wasps and flies)

• Over-wintering sites

• Furthermore, all of these sites must occur in areas with optimal (or at least tolerable) light, temperature, and humidity levels, and perhaps have relatively low densities of natural enemies. The dependence of native pollinators on the appropriate habitats must be recognized . Populations will not persist in a habitat if all life stage requirements are not met. A bumble bee species might require abandoned rodent burrows for nest sites and a particular range of flower types as pollen and nectar sources. Many solitary bees and wasps require specific nesting substrates (e.g., soil banks, decaying wood), as well as a variety of materials for nest construction such as mud, resin, leaves, plant hairs, or pebbles. These resources support the pollinator populations, and in return, the pollinators aid in the reproduction and maintenance of genetic diversity of the plant community and interact with other organisms as prey or host items.

Bees

   The Orchard Mason Bee is the common name of a nonsocial native bee (Osmia lignaria ssp.) that pollinates our spring fruit trees, flowers and vegetables. This gentle, blue-black metallic bee does not live in hives. In nature it nests within hollow stems, woodpecker drillings and insect holes found in trees or wood. Sometimes there may be dense collections of individual nest holes, but these bees neither connect or share nests, nor help provision or protect each others' young. Also, they are active for only a short period of the year. They are not aggressive and one may observe them at very close range without fear of being stung, which makes them excellent for enhancing our yards and gardens. They add beauty, activity and pollination to our plantings. However, they do not produce honey.

About Orchard Mason Bees • The female Orchard Mason Bee visits flowers to collect

pollen for its young. She forms a small ball of pollen and nectar in the back of the nesting tube and lays an egg on the ball. She then collects mud to form a cell partition and repeats the pollen ball-egg laying process until she reaches the mouth of the tube where she caps the end with mud. Starting the life cycle in the spring, adult males emerge from tubes first, but must wait for the later appearance of the females in order to mate. This event often coincides with the redbud (Cercis) bloom. Females alone, begin founding new nests in holes to make a row of 5-10 cells in each nest. Females collect the pollen and nectar and lay eggs. Their short foraging range is about 100 yards from the nest. Activity continues 4-6 weeks and then adults die. During the summer, larvae develop inside the nests, make cocoons, and become new adults resting in the cells. With the onset of fall, the adults become dormant as they go into hibernation. These bees require some cold temperatures before spring in order to break their dormancy.

Nest Block Construction The native eastern species of Orchard Mason Bee will nest in holes drilled in a wooden block. Untreated 4" x 6" lumber works great. Holes can be drilled in the wood on 3/4 inch centers. They should be 4-8" deep (depending upon the size lumber used), smooth, and a 5/16" diameter hole is important. A smaller hole encourages higher production of male bees which reduces the reproductive potential of the population. Blocks may be drilled from either face giving shallower or deeper holes. Shallower holes may produce more male bees. Do not drill completely through the lumber. Drill the hole to a depth about 1/2 inch from the back of the block. Attach a roof to provide protection from the midday sun and rain. Outside surfaces may be painted or stained, but do not use wood preservatives. One hole may be drilled in the back to provide a means of hanging the block. Face nesting blocks as close to the southeast direction as possible to catch morning sun and affix it firmly so that it does not sway in the wind. It should be located at least three feet above the ground.

These bees need mud to construct cell partitions, so adding a mud supply may be helpful if needed. This can be a trench or tub located nearby where muddy soil is maintained during the nesting period. The mud should not be highly organic or sandy. Clay soils work well.

Do not move the blocks during the weeks of active nesting. Once all nesting activity has stopped, the nesting block may be moved to a shelter such as a shed or unheated garage. Be gentle when moving occupied blocks at this time of year. This will give the bees added protection from predators and parasites, yet will allow them exposure to the cold temperatures that they need to break hibernation. If desired, bee emergence can be delayed for a short period by refrigerating the block in the spring until you are ready for the bees to emerge. Bees will need three days to warm up following refrigeration.

Butterflies

Numerous butterflies feed on nectar from flowers as adults, but some may use sap, fruit, aphid honeydew, mud, dung, carrion, or blood. Most adults are spurious pollinators, because food intake is not always necessary and are opportunistic, with each individual visiting perhaps dozens of plant species. The larvae typically feed on the flowers, fruits, stems, or roots of their host plants and in some species, the adult will feed on the nectar of the host plant and may aid in the pollination of that plant.

Choosing the Right FlowersTo help pollinator insects, you should provide a range of plants that offers a succession of flowers through the whole growing season. Patches of foraging habitat can be created in many different locations. Even a small area with the right flowers will be beneficial.

Tips:-Use local native plants-Choose several colors of flowers-Plant flowers in clumps-Have a diversity of plants flowering all season

Harmful Insects

• Aphids• Japanese Beetles

both larvae and adults• Lacebugs• Mites• Caterpillars & Worms• Adelgids• Mealybugs

Insects that Feed on JuicesAphids

Spider Mites Scale Insects

Mealy Bugs, Whiteflies, and Psyllids True Bugs and Leafhoppers

Insects that Feed on LeavesCaterpillars

Sawflies Leafminers Leaf Beetles

Insects that Bore into WoodBorers

Barkbeetles Tip Moths

Other Wood Chewing Insects

Insects that Produce GalsGalls

Aphids

Wingless

Winged

Nymph

Resources:WWW.ISU.EDU: National• Selecting Plants for Pollinators

Pollinating Insect-Biology, Management, Systematics - USDA ARS Pollinator Conservation Program - The Xerces SocietyStatus of Pollinators in North AmericaNBII Pollinators ProjectAlternative Pollinators - NSAISMontana Native Plants for Pollinator-Friendly Plantings Protection of Pollinators (Cropland) - High Plains IPM Guide

International• The Pollinator Partnership

North American Pollinator Protection CampaignUniversity of Basel Botanical Image Database

WWW.EXT.VT.EDU:

• Insects of Trees, Shrubs, Annuals, and Perennialshttp://pubs.ext.vt.edu/456/456-018/Section_4_Home_Ornamentals-3.pdf• Protecting Honey Beeshttp://pubs.ext.vt.edu/456/456-016/Section-1_Protecting_Honeybees.pdf• Garden Insects/Pestshttp://pubs.ext.vt.edu/category/garden-insects-pests.html