Leave the Aphids!

in #nature7 years ago

IMG_2554.png
Now that might sound crazy, but lets talk about Aphids for a minuet. It’s really important to leave the Aphids alone when they get on your plants. Why you ask? It’s best to just leave them alone because , well, think of it this way, when you wipe/squish them, or spray them off, or use soapy water to kill them, your not inviting Ladybugs, hover flies, Chalcid wasps, and lacewings to the buffet. Their larvae eat the aphids, and the adult ladybug also eats them.
Also, if you're spraying with soapy water, you cannot rinse the plant off enough to rid the soap residue. Then, when the caterpillars eat the leaves, it makes them sick & die. It is truly better to just let Mother Nature tend to her eco system.
IMG_2555.png

IMG_2465.png

This Chalcid wasps is laying eggs inside these Aphids. Did you notice the huge puffy brown one near by. That one is already full of Chalcid wasps larvae. Good food for her babies.
These wasp are tiny! Like half the size of mosquitoes. But they are VERY effective at their job. They help keep other pest in check. Which in turn, keeps your plants healthy, and if they're on butterfly host plants, then they could possibly even be helping to keep your caterpillars healthy too.
✌🏼💝🦋🦋
IMG_2445.jpg

IMG_2443.jpg

Sort:  

Congratulations @thenectarbar! You received a personal award!

Happy Birthday! - You are on the Steem blockchain for 1 year!

Click here to view your Board

Support SteemitBoard's project! Vote for its witness and get one more award!

Congratulations @thenectarbar! You received a personal award!

Happy Birthday! - You are on the Steem blockchain for 2 years!

You can view your badges on your Steem Board and compare to others on the Steem Ranking

Vote for @Steemitboard as a witness to get one more award and increased upvotes!

Coin Marketplace

STEEM 0.26
TRX 0.20
JST 0.038
BTC 96485.07
ETH 3625.95
USDT 1.00
SBD 3.91