Insect Control

Ninety-five percent of insects are beneficial to your garden by taking care of many functions. Many are predators and control harmful insects by eating them. Others help build the soil. Any thing you do to control insects should be done with care to avoid harming the good guys.

There are also many birds and small animals that feed on the eggs, larvae and adult insects and may be harmed by pesticides or starved for lack of food.

By making your garden attractive to good insects and birds, you can avoid the need for chemical controls altogether. Here are some suggestions to make your garden more attractive to beneficial insects and birds.

Make your Garden Inviting to Beneficial Insects and Animals

Providing food, water and shelter for the beneficial animals and insects will help control the populations of harmful insects in your garden.

Supply Water: A birdbath works well for birds, a shallow dish with some stones in it will work for butterflies and insects. Change the water regularly to offer your friends a place for a clean drink.

Provide Shelter: By planting a wide variety of plants, trees and shrubs you provide places for the beneficial insects to hide from predators, lay their eggs, and raise their young.

Provide Food: plant perennials and shrubs that attract beneficial insects such as ladybirds and butterflies.

Visit Bugs, Bugs, Everywhere for more information.

Tip: To discourage birds from eating your strawberries, paint some pebbles bright red and place them in your strawberry patch before your strawberries are ripe. The birds will give them a try and decide that maybe strawberries aren't so tasty after all. This solution is not 100% effective but it helps a lot.