Good Bugs
To
create the perfect growing environment for your
Hydroponics project, and to ensure the optimum growing
conditions to produce a beautiful, tender, dirt-free,
flavorful product. Although bringing in good bugs to
eliminate a bad bug problem might not always solve the
problem, you might have to resort to a pesticide. In
cases like this, our staff is very educated and can direct
you to the best product to use.
When possible, it is always recommended to use these guys
to fend off the "Bad Bugs" that might take home in your
hydroponic garden. The important thing to remember is that
these bugs are a protector of your plants and you do not
want to eliminate them.
Aphid Predator
Each
Aphid Predator larva must eat 10 aphids to reach full
development, but will happily eat many more if they are
available. Great for indoors because they do not fly
toward the light. For a small indoor garden, one release
of 100-250 predators will get you started.
White Fly Parasites
Many
commercial green-houses use Whitefly Parasites as their
only whitefly control. These eggs are glued to small cards
and shipped ready to hatch and parasitize pest larvae. Use
500 parasites up to four times to control whitefly
infestations in a small home greenhouse.
Ladybugs
An
adult Ladybug can eat thousands of aphids and other pests
in its lifetime. Good for small and large areas.
Green Lacewing
This
excellent all-purpose garden predator devours aphids,
mealybugs, soft scale, whiteflies and the eggs of other
insects such as spider mites and thrips. Shipped as eggs,
these beneficials are best applied 5,000 eggs per acre.
House Fly Parasites
Controls
many species of flies by killing their pupae before flies
hatch. In its 3-4 week lifecycle, each parasite kills 50
flies. Use anywhere nuisance flies breed. Release 5000
every two weeks for a large compost pile or 3-4 head of
livestock.
Mealybug Predators
Predators
of small insects, these tiny black ladybugs are effective,
proven beneficial insects that have been used commercially
for over 100 years. They really enjoy mealybugs but will
eat aphids and scale when the mealies get scarce. Apply
2-5 per infested plant or one for every two feet of
planted area. Repeat about twice a year as needed.
Pirate Bugs
Pirate
Bugs (Orius insidiosis) are used on many crops to control
thrip, aphid, spider mite and whitefly populations.
Release 5-10 per 100 square feet. For extreme thrip
infestations, use in conjunction with Thrip Predators.
Praying Mantis
A
Praying Mantis can grow to be four inches long in just one
season and will feed on almost any insect it can
overcome. Allow several weeks of warm weather for
hatching.
Spider Mite
Destroyers
Spider
Mite Destroyers breed twice as fast as spider mites and
eat up to five mites or 20 mite eggs every day! Over time,
your spider mite populations will dwindle. To control
spider mites in six weeks, estimated use is one predator
for every 20 spider mites.
Whitefly Predators
Whitefly
Predators are fast eaters; they eat one whitefly larva in
just 30 seconds. Imagine what these hungry helpers can do
for your garden as they munch up to 600 whitefly eggs
every day! 300-500 predators cover 1,000 square feet. To
use, just shake the predators out of their package onto
plant foliage. Predators do best between 65-90 degrees.
Fungus Gnat Predator
Nature's
alternative to chemical insecticides, Fungus Gnat
Predators feed on the larvae of fungus gnats and other
small soil-dwelling creatures including thrips, mites, and
springtails. Five thousand predators treat up to 200
square feet of growing surface.
Predator Mites
Predator
Mites usually gain control of spider mite infestations
after 4 weeks. Release 100 mites per 25 square feet.
Predator mites will be effective in a wide variety of
conditions: from 55-90 degrees Fahrenheit and from 45-90%
relative humidity.
Thrip Predators
These
predators feed on immature thrips (soil and leaf pupating)
and an occasional spider mite as well. Use 100-500 per
plant or 200,000 per acre to control thrip infestations.
For maximum effectiveness, humidity must remain between
70% and 85%.
Beneficial Nematodes
Beneficial
Nematodes control over 250 different insects in the soil,
including weevils, loopers, borers, moths, and fleas. They
are harmless to earthworms and leave plants alone. Not to
be confused with pest nematodes, beneficial nematodes are
parasitic, and invade the bodies of their prey, leaving
behind the dead insect carcasses. One batch fits onto a
small, 2" sponge and will cover up to 2,000 square feet.
To use, submerge the sponge in water and soak into soil
with a watering can or pressure-sprayer. Nematodes may
also be injected into borer holes with a syringe. If
necessary, Beneficial Nematodes may be stored in the
refrigerator (40-50 degrees F) for up to 2 months.
|