March 1, 2012 - Posted by admin - 0 Comments
Sitting in my usual ambush hideout, I watched a rather large insect dive bombing mosquitoes and gnats, in an impressive display of aerial acrobats. Each maneuver was quick, agile and precise. It’s movements seemed to mock that of a helicopter, displaying the ability of hovering, and effortlessly flying forward and backward at high rates of speed. It grasped it’s prey utilizing it’s legs formed like a basket. It had mandibles like mine, but I am sure there are no flying, praying mantis. Whatever could this insect be? I asked around the beneficial insect community and found that my mystery bug could be a dragonfly or a damselfly.
These airborne predators are attracted to water sources and may be seen occupying a backyard pond as it’s hunting ground. One may rest long enough for an opportunity to be identified, use the table below for identifying whether it is a dragonfly or a damselfly. Whichever it may be, it, will patrol the skies over your garden aiding in natural pest control.
I, the Mumbling Mantis, would be honored to patrol organic gardens, with dragonflies and damselflies. More information on attracting these beneficial insects is available on the Dragonflies page of this website. Visit it to learn more about these creatures, including a video explaining how even the dragonfly nymph is beneficial!
| Dragonfly Identification |
Damselfly Identification |
Dragonfly’s Eyes  A dragonfly’s eyes are on top of its head and touch, or nearly touch |
Damselfly’s Eyes  A damselfly’s eyes appear on each side of its head |
Dragonfly’s Body  A dragonfly commonly has a long and stocky body |
Damselfly’s Body  A Damselfly usually has a long and slender body |
Dragonfly’s Wings  A dragonfly’s hind wings are broader at the base |
Damselfly’s Wings  A damselfly’s wings are all similar in shape |
Dragonfly’s Wings at Rest  A dragonfly at rest holds its wings open, horizontally or downwards |
Damselfly’s Wings at Rest  A damselfly at rest holds its wings closed, usually over its abdomen |
Dragonfly’s Food  A dragonfly eats small flying insects, including butterflies, moths and bees |
Damselfly’s Food  A damselfly eats small flying insects, including butterflies, moths and bees |
February 23, 2012 - Posted by admin - 0 Comments
I have heard that every year, in New Orleans, humans wear all types of masks and costumes, while partying all week long in celebration of Mardi Gras. With Mardi Gras ending on Fat Tuesday, I had the opportunity to see some photographs of some of these costumed revelers. As a praying mantis, I have seen many odd creatures on the garden floor, some pretending to be more than they are. Apparently there are humans in Mardi Gras who dress as bees to fend off any potential beer thieves. Being a praying mantis and a member of the insect world, I must boastfully proclaim, YOU ARE NOT FOOLING ME!
Each year in our gardens there is a party similar to Mardi Gras, only the garden masqueraders are not humans. Buzzing about happily, the bees appear to get tipsy as they sip nectar from the flowers. But, look closer, just like the human bees in Mardi Gras, these bees are not bees at all. Actually, these are members of the family Syrphidae, known as hover flies, or flower flies.
Although they seem to be as menacing as a bee, they are just as harmless as our bee attired merrymakers. Hover flies can be distinguished from bees in many ways, most notably, their helicopter-like flying habits. If one of these flies remains motionless long enough for you to get a good look, you may be able to see the short, stubby, or hair-thin antennae and one pair of wings, both characteristics unique to the hover flies.
These bee look-a-likes are important organic garden pollinators, who primarily eat pollen and nectar. Hover flies are one of the few kinds of insects that can digest pollen. Hover flies are also known to eat aphid honeydew.
Like the ladybug, it is the larva of the hover fly that makes this beneficial insect an ideal good bug to attract for organic pest control. The female fly will lay her eggs near a food source, like an aphid colony. When the eggs hatch, the larva will seek out and eat the nearby pests, go into the pupa stage and eventually emerge as an adult, beginning the cycle again.
Professionalizing Batesian mimicry, hover flies masquerade as bees, frightening children and adults of both the human and insect world. Similar to the Mardi Gras human bees, hover flies appear to wear a costume in hopes of fending off would be predators. As a preying mantis, I will proceed with caution when approaching these masters of disguise, and upon positive identification will boastfully proclaim, YOU ARE NOT FOOLING ME!
Photography thanks to:
Horia Varlan via Flickr
Yogendra174 via Flickr
Theilr via Flickr
Infrogmation via Flickr
February 19, 2012 - Posted by admin - 0 Comments
Warm weather approaching excites me as I see the early spring flowers peeking their petals through the soil. I know that their pollen, nectar and fragrances will attract a myriad of beneficial insects. I lurk nearby, quietly, waiting for an unsuspecting pollinator too fly to close and become my next meal. But a meal isn’t my only focus. I enjoy the sights and sounds of nature’s employees, as they buzz peacefully from flower to flower sipping sweet nectar. They don’t realize as they are gorging themselves, they are transporting pollen, performing one of nature’s most important necessities, pollination.
As spring approaches, and the temperature climbs, watch your own gardens and you just may see some of these beneficial insects gracing you with their presence. I must ask you though, please be careful were you walk; I am down here, you know!
Crocus
Honey Bees
Honey bees, you are very familiar with honey bees. Honey bees are mostly beneficial for pollination. Their tenacity for pollen collection is impressive. They spend the daylight hours buzzing from flower to hive and back again. Honey bees are on the decline, as are bee keepers, so if you are fortunate to have honey bees visiting your flowers, stop and watch them for a few moments.
Parasitic Wasps
A beautiful springtime flower becomes quite threatening when a wasp lands on it. Do not run, though, he means you no harm, he just wants his fair share of nectar. Wasps are very beneficial in the pursuit of chemical free pest control. Parasitic wasps in the organic garden will find hosts of all types to inject their eggs into. The female wasp may choose caterpillars, pest and beneficial insect larva, pest and beneficial insect eggs, pretty much anything that will provide nourishment to her babies. Once in the host, they will dine on it’s blood for a few days, then the larva will chew their way out of the host, spin a cocoon, and emerge as new wasps, to continue this cycle.
Tachinid Flies
Tachinid flies resemble house flies, so, resist the urge to kill them! You may see tachinid flies sharing a sip of nectar from the early springtime flowers. Tachinid flies are beneficial insects that can help control caterpillars, larva of moths, grasshoppers, beetles and beetle larva, and many kinds of true bugs. Any of these pests are potential hosts for the larva of the tachinid fly. The female will lay her eggs directly into a host by means of an ovipositor, or lay eggs on a nearby leaf so the host ingests the eggs which develop in it’s stomach. The eggs can even develop inside the female and she will give birth to live young that crawl to a host and enter the body through soft tissue.
Hover Flies
Hover flies may confuse you at first. They mock a colorful assortment of wasps and bees making them quite intimating to approach.
Hover flies can be seen buzzing quickly around many springtime flowers, eating pollen and nectar.
Hover flies will lay their eggs in batches on or near potential hosts. Once the eggs hatch, the larva begin to destroy garden pest insects.
Bees, wasps and especially flies may make your springtime flowers very uninviting, however they are necessary for a naturally well balanced, organic garden. Your springtime flowers may also attract lacewings, ladybugs, pirate bugs, spiders, and many other beneficial insects that may be fitting for my next meal. As your springtime flowers fade, follow them with summer and fall flowers, and the beneficials will remain in your garden.
Tweet it, Like it, or comment below, and tell me, the Mumbling Mantis, what insects you are already seeing visiting your springtime flowers.
February 17, 2012 - Posted by admin - 0 Comments
With the return of so many migratory birds, and the promise of warmer weather to come, you have an opportunity to get a jump on preventing garden insect pests. Far be it from me, a praying mantis, to encourage this sort of behavior from humans, but even good bugs need to be controlled too. As I sat in my safe, not to be disclosed, hiding spot, I looked up in the trees and saw true, live, signs of spring approaching. There were Robins and Starlings in the crowns of the trees, just looking for a quick meal. That’s when I decided to let the humans know that even birds are an option for organic, chemical free, garden pest control. After all, I do need a break from eating insects once in a while.
Besides Robins, Grackles and Starlings, there are quite a few species of birds which will prey upon insects as a source of protein. Here are just four of the birds I fear the most. These birds search for insects mostly on the ground. They have eaten many of my babies, but hey, that is why hundreds of babies are born from one egg casing.
Each photo is a link to a YouTube video of the bird’s song.
WHITE THROATED SPARROW
RED WINGED BLACKBIRD
EASTERN BLUEBIRD
SPOTTED TOWHEE
There are many garden pests that overwinter in your garden, each in different stages of maturity. Turning the soil, and cleaning up leaves and weeds, will expose these bad bugs, making them easy pickings for hungry spring birds. By working your soil early, you may present an offering to the birds, resulting in a healthy garden without the use of chemicals. Here is a list of a few common garden bugs, where they overwinter and in what stage:
Squash Vine Borers: Overwinter in the larva or pupa stage in soil
Squash Bugs: Overwinter as adults in sheltered places such as leaf litter
Hornworms: Overwinter in the soil as pupae
Armyworms: Overwinter as partially grown larvae in soil
Slugs: Overwinter as eggs in soil and sheltered places like leaf litter
Corn Rootworms: Overwinter as eggs in soil
Billbugs: Overwinter as adults in soil
Symphylans: Overwinter as adults in soil
Bean Leaf Beetle: Overwinter as adults in soil
Colorado Potato Beetle: Overwinter in soil as adults
Flea beetles: Overwinter as adults in sheltered places like leaf litter
Grubs…Overwinter mostly in turf…if you are going to plant a garden where there is grass, make sure you turn it to expose these larvae
Cutworms: Overwinter as larvae or pupae in soil
The list I provided is mostly made up of bad bugs. I listed them because they are what we are striving to control in your organic garden. Yes, I said we. We are allies in the plight to eradicate garden pests without the use of chemicals. You plant flowers and herbs, and provide sheltered habitat in order to attract beneficial insects. However, there must be a balance of nature. There has to be a way to control even the good bugs. Introduce the insect eating birds. Far be it from me, a praying mantis, to encourage this sort of behavior from humans, but I think you understand.
If you do understand; share this post, Facebook Like it, Twitter tweet it, or comment below, and encourage everyone you know to establish a well balanced, natural garden, without the use of chemicals.
February 8, 2012 - Posted by admin - 0 Comments
In the introduction post to this series, I suggested planning your gardens
with the aid of a color wheel. There are six main color schemes derived from
the use of a color wheel. These schemes can be useful when choosing flowers
to plant with your vegetables, to organically control garden pests or when
just adding color around your homestead. In today’s post I will focus on
complementary colors.
The Flower Color Wheel
A complementary color scheme utilizes colors opposite to each other on the
color wheel. In these examples you will see that complementary colors can be
blues and oranges, reds and greens or purples and yellows. The combinations
are endless and only limited by your imagination. Whether you are
maintaining a flower garden or a beneficial insect attracting, vegetable
garden, using the color wheel will produce eye appealing results.
Coupling seeds and creativity with your imagination and the flower color wheel will balance the shades of color in your gardens, making you the envy of your neighborhood. Knowledge of complementary colors just may have been the inspiration for these flower plantings. Do you have examples of complementary colors in your garden? Post a comment below and share what plants and flowers you have paired together.
February 6, 2012 - Posted by admin - 0 Comments
The Flower Color Wheel
Planting to attract beneficial insects for organic pest control, does not
have to be boring. Consider for a moment your elementary school days, when
you learned about the color wheel, and how colors complement each other. You
may have thought then, what in the world am I going to do with this
knowledge? Well, a basic knowledge of how to use the color wheel can prove
to be very helpful when selecting plants and flowers for your garden.
The Attract With Flowers page shares information about a handful of flowers
and what beneficial insects they are likely to attract. In addition to those
listed, there is an endless rainbow of flowers to choose from. So where do
you begin to create an eye appealing palette of color in your garden? Again,
I refer you back to the color wheel.
The next six submissions will explore ideas for applying the complementary,
split-complementary, analogous, triadic, tetradic and square color schemes
in your garden. At the conclusion of this six part series you will be
inspired to plant more than marigolds with your tomatoes. You will be
excited to plant something purple amongst your greens. Subscribe to this
post, follow me on Twitter, or just come back often, to be sure to not miss
the rest of this series.
February 1, 2012 - Posted by admin - 0 Comments
As I walked the sleeping garden this evening, enjoying the February 1st, 60 degree weather, I was reminded that things were more awake than they appear. For instance, the cover crop of winter pea, hairy vetch and rye, blew lightly in the breeze with their unique, supportive companionship. As I bent down to feel the rich soil, something went buzzing by! It flew by quickly, not allowing for a chance to be recognized. But it had a familiar sound, the sound of spring right around the corner, the sound of the garden pest’s awakening.
It is right around the corner, ladies and gentlemen. Just after that last frost date we will be scrambling to get our vegetables planted in hopes of stretching the season longer than the year before. We hope to reap a more bountiful harvest, sharing less of it with those crop eating buggers. We plant all of our seedlings, keep them weed free, and then they appear. First it is one or two, then multitudes of insects. Yellow ones, black ones, yellow and black ones, beetle types, caterpillar types, flying types, ones that come out in the day, ones that come out in the night, ones that will give even a combat veteran a fright! But this year we will be prepared. This early spring tease, and the February sightings of these veggie destroying creeps, is just what we needed for our own awakenings!
I am certain that many of you are planning on what seeds to start. I know you have looked over your gardens and envisioned where each of your seedlings will grow. You no doubt have purchased your seeds from the plethora of catalogs that came to you over the winter. I encourage you to think about companion planting. Inspire your chemical using neighbors by planting flowers with your tomatoes, herbs with your squash, and attract beneficial insects to take care of your garden pests. As you start your vegetable seeds, start a few seeds from the flower and herb families. Don’t worry what the garden snobs say, flowers do look nice in a bed of peppers!
With this early garden pest awakening, let it be an opportunity for your own awakening. Shake the dust off of the old garden blueprints and add in some plants to attract beneficial insects to send those garden pests right back to a slumber. Think beneficial.
Sitting in my usual ambush hideout, I watched a rather large insect dive bombing mosquitoes and gnats, in an impressive display of aerial acrobats. Each maneuver was quick, agile and precise. It’s movements seemed to mock that of a helicopter, displaying the ability of hovering, and effortlessly flying forward and backward at high rates of speed. It grasped it’s prey utilizing it’s legs formed like a basket. It had mandibles like mine, but I am sure there are no flying, praying mantis. Whatever could this insect be? I asked around the beneficial insect community and found that my mystery bug could be a dragonfly or a damselfly. 
