Learn about the INSECT HEROES in your garden, who work tirelessly throughout their lives to create the serene beauty of the garden you enjoy every day. INSECTS?! Are you sure? All you have to do is invite the “right” kinds of insects to your garden … [Read more...]
NATURAL ENEMIES: PREDATORS AND PARASITOIDS
Though most people cringe at the sight of an insect, there are countless species of beneficial insects. One such group of insects is referred to as natural enemies. These are insects that prey upon other insects that frequently cause damage in the … [Read more...]
Ground Beetles – Beneficial Insects
QUESTION Client requested identification of a large beetle found in her yard. DIAGNOSIS / RECOMMENDATION Harpalus pensylvanicus, common name Pennsylvania dingy ground beetle. It is a beneficial insect. ADDITIONAL … [Read more...]
Birth of an Assassin!
The wheel bug, Arilus cristatus, is North Carolina’s largest assassin bug. It gets its name from the prominent spiny “wheel” found on the thorax. Both nymphs and adults are generalist predators that feed on a variety of insects including aphids, … [Read more...]
Why do we Hate Wasps and Love Bees?
Why do we Hate Wasps and Love Bees? A new study reveals that wasps are largely disliked by the public, whereas bees are highly appreciated. The researchers involved say that this view is unfair because wasps are just as ecologically useful as … [Read more...]