A Perfect Paring: Cannabis and IPM

Current cannabis growing norms are ideal for practicing Integrated Pest Management (IPM). Whether they are motivated by the desire to grow healthy, clean plants, or purely by regulatory constraints, the end result is the need to minimize impacts on people and the environment. IPM begins with getting your soil or soil medium right and moves on to pest prediction, trapping and monitoring; using cultural, biological and (carefully vetted) chemical controls and, throughout it all, conscientious observation and record-keeping to plan for the future (for more on all this see our IPM page here). All of which works perfectly for a well-run grow.

A good portion of IPM practices are pretty straight forward and easy to initiate, even for beginners to the field. The biological controls part, however, can be daunting (if not downright confusing) even for seasoned growers. Here at ARBICO Organics, our mission is to guide growers towards these best practices and help them maintain smooth and efficient biological control using the proper beneficials for the job.

Any IPM program no matter the crop or growing style, works best when it’s started before you even touch a plant. Soil/soil mediums should be pathogen-free, yet full of microbial life, before any plants go into it. The introduction of beneficial nematodes and/or Stratiolaelaps scimitus (Hypoasis miles), for instance, can offer early, pro-active protection from a long list of insect pests. Hypoasis miles specifically preys on the dreaded fungus gnats. A little bit of pre-emptive treatment early on can save you financial and emotional hardship later.

Another necessary step to be taken from the start is close monitoring of the grow environment. Not only to ensure that plants are in optimal growing conditions, but also to spot pests and pathogens as soon as they appear. Biological controls work best over time, so it is important to apply them at the first sign of trouble. This is often the stage where growers who are new to biological control falter. We have been conditioned to reach for a killing spray as soon as we see a bug, so there is sometimes a learning curve and a change in expectations that needs to happen. Instead of squishing the bug instantly, observe and identify it, discover where it came from, and determine if there is a population living in your plants. Armed with the specific knowledge of what you’re up against, you can move on to your
next step – choosing the beneficial to use - with confidence.

Knowing the pest you need to control is important, but when choosing the right beneficial agent for your specific needs your growing environment needs to play a role in your choice as well. Certain beneficial insects have specific temperatures and relative humidity requirements to perform their best, while for other insects the amount of light can affect their biological functions. Outdoor growers are restricted in their choices by their environment, whereas indoor growers have more options, including modifying their conditions to ensure that the beneficials thrive. There are some biologicals that can work indoors and out for most situations, but for optimal control, you’ll want the best beneficial for the specifics of your grow. This does not mean that the “all-purpose” biologicals are no good, only that they are but one part of a multi-tool IPM approach.

There is a wealth of beneficial/predatory insects and organisms that work extremely well to control pests in cannabis cultivation. Some of these include predatory insects and mites, parasitic wasps, microorganisms, and the afore-mentioned beneficial nematodes. Amongst the predatory insects, there are generalists (non-selective) predators and specialist (targeted) predators. The generalists aren’t picky eaters and go after lots of different insects in various life stages. They include Assassin Bugs (Zelus renardii), Green Lacewings (Chrysoperla rufilabris), Minute Pirate Bugs (Orius insidious), and even Ladybugs (Hippodamia convergens). The specialist predators have specific dietary proclivities and either consume or parasitize particular prey. They include Mite Predators (Phytoseiulus persimilis), Aphid Wasps (Aphidius colemani), and the Fungus Gnat Predator Hypoasis miles that I mentioned earlier. Unless you have used beneficial insects before or you are a professional in the good-bug field, it is perfectly normal to not know what to choose. That’s what we are here for. Likewise, if you can't identify the insect plaguing your plants, take a picture of it and give us a call (our specialist will tell you where to send it). Armed with the picture and your input, it is usually very easy for our pros to figure out your problem.


Once you have determined which beneficial to use, it is essential that you treat with the right amounts at the right time and keep it up. Continuity and scheduling should be your mantra at this point. Most pest insects reproduce at an energetic pace; you will need to outpace that reproduction with scheduled applications of sufficient amounts of predatory insects. Additionally, some specialist insects require a lead time in order to receive them, so you will need to plan to cover that time frame. Using beneficial/predatory insects is very much like taking antibiotics – do not stop your treatment just because the condition seems better; it is essential to complete the prescribed course.

If you have questions (and why wouldn’t you?), I encourage you to dig into our website. A good place to start would be our Hemp/Cannabis page. We also have a Cannabis Catalog with products that have been hand-picked for the industry. We have worked hard to provide comprehensive content to inform and guide any visitors, and I feel confident that you can begin your road to IPM through our pages. But, for those of you who prefer a person-to-person exchange, our Bio-Control Specialists are also available for free consultations Monday-Friday from 8:00-4:30 pm. (we are on Mountain Time). Let them help you figure out what will work for you. For more on cannabis and IPM, you may also be interested in reading “5 Questions with Arianna Weisbly Taylor” in the July 2020 issue of Cannabis Business Times.

Take Care.
Submitted by Pam

It’s A Covid-19 Earth Day.

This year, there is simply no way to address Earth Day without acknowledging the pandemic that has enveloped our planet. Many people believe that Earth itself created Covid-19 as a way of purging and re-charging itself, which is intriguing but impossible to know. What we do know is that all of the pandemics that have decimated humankind throughout history came from Nature through viruses and/or bacteria (here are 20 of the most devastating). 

Blaming 5G (and other outlandish theories) does a great disservice to the scientists who are tirelessly searching for a way to fight this new entity. Covid-19 is now a global issue (here is a regularly updated map) and people are struggling everywhere to make it through this (here are some ways they are managing it around the world). For Earth Day this year, ARBICO Organics has decided to donate to two worthy organizations that are in the thick of this pandemic fight: the Center for Biological Diversity and the Community Food Bank of Southern Arizona.

7 Falls, Tucson, AZ

Last year on Earth Day, ARBICO donated to the Sonoran Institute. We whole-heartedly encourage you to acquaint yourself with and support this fine organization. They continue to work to protect our natural resources, particularly crucial water supplies. Nonprofits are struggling at this time, when money is extra-tight and the financial future is uncertain. If you are able, please support local eco-warriors in their fight to preserve our planet.

We have chosen to donate to the Center for Biological Diversity (CBD) because they are local to Tucson and have a clear vision of how what they do can affect the Covid-19 pandemic. CBD is a highly respected environmental advocacy group that has earned 4 out of 4 stars by Charity Navigator for the ethical way they do their work. At first glance, they may not seem an obvious group to become pandemic fighters, but look again. As their Executive Director, Kierán Suckling, writes on their home page: “Our tireless legal and scientific work to protect animals, plants, people, the climate and wild places is ongoing, with an enhanced emphasis on addressing wildlife trade and habitat destruction, two issues at the root of disease outbreaks.” and “60% of known infectious diseases in people can be transmitted from animals, and 75% of emerging "zoonotic" infectious diseases originate in wildlife. These emergent diseases have quadrupled in the
past 50 years. Adding law enforcement staff, inspectors at our ports of entry, and building global capacity to address the extinction crisis are all needed if we hope to make future pandemics less likely to occur in the first place.” I encourage everyone to read his letter in full; it is powerful. But, don’t stop at his letter - the work they are doing to protect our environment is truly heroic. So, dig into their website and maybe you’ll find a way that you can help the cause.

The second nonprofit that we’ve chosen to donate to is the Community Food Bank of Southern Arizona (which also has a 4 out of 4 rating) This is a no-brainer on every level. With so many businesses closed during this pandemic, a great number of people are struggling to have their basic needs met and people are worried about their next meals. This is especially true in a place like Southern Arizona, which has a large population of underpaid and underserved people. This includes many workers that have crossed the nearby border. Whether documented or not, these people are often suspicious of government institutions (for good reason) and generally ineligible for any kind of assistance. The Community Food Bank has been a safe, no-questions-asked kind of place for everyone since 1975. They have helped countless people in that period, but nowadays the number in need is overwhelming. But this has not stopped them from providing food and kindness to anyone. Please join us in supporting them in their efforts.

So, if you purchase anything from our website on Wednesday, April 22, 2020 you will donating monetarily to these two stellar organizations. If you’d like to donate directly, there are links on their websites.

As we prepare to mark Earth Day this year, it is important to recognize just how much we are truly connected to Nature’s mysteries. Everyone recognizes the beauty in a perfectly formed flower, but Nature has also created a perfect virus in Covid-19. Its ability to morph and mutate and find a host is a truly wondrous (albeit deadly) thing. Earth Day is meant to be a day that reminds us of our obligation to care for our home planet. But this year, there is a new reminder – Covid-19. Without a world that is healthy and in balance, more of these viruses will emerge and there will be more pandemics. The time to pay attention to Nature is now.

Submitted by Pam

ARBICO Thanksgiving 2019

Jess - Marketing

Greg - Sales

Christina - Shipping

This past Friday, ARBICO celebrated its annual Thanksgiving Potluck only a few minutes away from our offices at beautiful Catalina State Park (we go there every year and never tire of it).  The grandeur of the setting was only matched by the quality of  the food and camaraderie. Here are some of our team proudly showing their food contribution and others just happily enjoying the day.

Taylor - Sales 

Caitlin - Office 

Big Mike - Insectary

Did you know that there used to be a tradition of dressing in costumes for Thanksgiving? I know I didn't. A hundred years ago this really was a thing. It seems
like a somewhat creepier version of trick or treat.
This article explains this lost event and has some great pictures. 

Anissa - Marketing


HAPPY TURKEY DAY FROM ARBICO!

Submitted by Pam

The Insectary Crew

Growing up on a Bug Farm

This year, ARBICO Organics is celebrating 40 years growing bugs (and more) in the beautiful Arizona desert. ARBICO has always been a family business and the children of the founders of ARBICO, Rick and Sheri Frey, have spent their lives in this unique world. The following is from their daughter, Aurora:

I remember being very young, maybe in kindergarten, talking with my friends about what jobs our parents had. My friends’ parents were teachers, construction workers, dentists and so on. When it was my turn to talk about my family, I nonchalantly said, “My parents grow bugs and we live on a bug farm”. I was met by the wide-eye look of confusion from my friends,“you live where?” I thought living in a house next to an insectary where millions of live insects of various kinds were growing was totally normal. Looking back, I feel lucky to have had such a unique upbringing and experience. My parents started growing and selling insects years before I was born, so ARBICO has always been a huge part of my life. Being in the bug business continues to play a large role in defining what family is to me.

Aurora with an Insect-A-Peel trap

Some of my earliest memories are of spending time with my parents at ARBICO. I loved tagging along with my dad at the end of the day to “check the bugs”. We would do a walk-through of the insectary and check the temperatures of the various rooms where insects were in different stages of their development. The “fly room” was off limits for me though. My dad said that it was too intense for a four-year-old to handle being in a room filled with hundreds of thousands of flies. I disagreed but obeyed, hoping for his mind to change. Later in childhood, I looked forward to playing in the offices with the Xerox machine and computers, selling lemonade to the ARBICO staff, helping my parents when kids visited on field trips and spending time in the ARBICO garden. It doesn’t snow much here in Tucson, but we learned that we could jump in an empty tray used to grow bugs in and slide down ARBICO’s giant compost pile (an added bonus of being a bug farmer’s kid).

 Throughout the years,  many of my extended family worked at ARBICO, including my grandfather, aunts, uncles, cousins and many family friends. I remember feeling so much excitement when I was old enough to help alphabetize invoices for my Aunt Gloria.

 When we weren’t at the bug farm, we would still spent a lot of time doing insect-related things. I remember my parents taking my younger brother and me up to Mount Lemmon to see the ladybugs that hibernate in the bark of the pine trees. Bugs were our life!

Clayton in the ARBICO garden

 As we got older, my younger brother, Clayton, and I got more invested in our own interests, but still spent time in the summers in the office or working at the bug farm. One of my first summer ARBICO jobs was working in Shipping, where we jammed out to classic rock music while packing bugs to ship out all around the United  States. When visiting home, I always looked forward to spending time at the office especially helping my mother with her projects. I’ve worked in all areas of ARBICO, including accounting and sales. I continued to work for ARBICO over the years, even when I lived outside of Arizona. I would jump at an opportunity to help with projects like editing our catalogs or attending an event. It was inspiring to be at events and meet our customers (especially those customers who have been with us from the beginning) and hear first-hand how happy they were with the results from our products!

Right now, I am back in Tucson and spend my days helping our Marketing team, which includes my brother. I have loved watching this company grow and I value the friendships and learning opportunities I have come to have here. After all this time, I am so proud of what ARBICO has become and am thankful for everyone who has played a role in this company that holds such a special place in my heart. I can’t imagine a way to describe the way family feels to me without ARBICO. In case you are curious, I did finally get to go into the “Fly Room” and my dad was right. I immediately freaked out, swallowed a fly and ran out crying. I haven’t been back since.

Clayton, Rick and Aurora Frey

An ARBICO Thanksgiving

Earlier this month, we had our annual ARBICO Thanksgiving potluck in spectacular Catalina State Park near our office here in Oro Valley, Arizona. The weather was absolutely beautiful and we feasted on a medley of delicious dishes. There was also horseshoes and music – pretty much all the necessary ingredients for a successful picnic.

I went around and asked some of my co-workers, “What is your favorite thing about Thanksgiving?” Their answers are below (you’re going to see a pattern):

Kim - Office

Theresa - H.R

Kim: “Family and food”

  

Andrea - Purchasing

 Theresa: “Getting together with my family; we don’t get to do it enough”

 Andrea: “Being with friends and family”

Elliott: “It’s super stereotypical but I just love being around family and friends and the fellowship of food”

  

Elliott - Shipping

Chris - Insectary

              Chris: “Family and friends”


Becky: "Mashed potatoes and gravy"
(Full disclosure: Becky originally said

Becky - Sales

"family and  friends". I prodded her
to change her answer in the interest of variety, which she cheerfully did because she's just that nice.)

It is abundantly clear from these answers that the true spirit of Thanksgiving is alive and
well amongst us ARBICO
employees.

Here’s wishing you memorable food and all the family and friends you can handle.

 Submitted by Pam