Making The Most Of Predatory Insects

Beneficial insects and beneficial organisms are the backbone of what we do here at ARBICO Organics. We send out millions and millions of insects, beneficial nematodes and other living creatures. While we refer to them broadly as “beneficials”, they are (with a few exceptions like earthworms, bees and green lacewing adults), predatory beings. Some are direct predators of insects and larvae and others, like some of our bacterium and fungi compete for resources and overwhelm pathogenic cells. It is a constant war in the microscopic and microbial world.Whether you are growing indoor tomatoes or tending to a larger landscape, predatory insects can be an important tool for you.

Recently our Operations Manager, Arianna Taylor, was asked by Cannabis Business Times magazine to answer a few questions for an upcoming issue. They asked her how to get the best results when using predatory insects for pest control in an IPM (Intergrated Pest Management) program. Here is what Arianna has to say on this subject:

Why are predatory insects an integral part of an Integrated Pest Management Program?
Any good pest control program begins with a well thought out plan; working predatory insects into that program early on can make a big difference. By introducing insects early and establishing strong populations of predators, pest insect numbers can be kept below thresholds therefore preventing excess treatments. Sometimes other treatments are necessary, that is the beauty of IPM. No one thing is going to be good enough to solve the problem. Predatory insects are just one piece of the IPM pie and work congruously with the other mechanisms for pest control. IPM programs have room for multiple modes of action including trapping, mechanical control, predatory insects and if necessary, spraying in moderation.Overuse of certain insecticides can lead to resistance in insect populations. By minimizing chemical input and using predatory insects as a pest control method, insect resistance is avoided and end product testing risks reduced. 

How can I create an environment conducive for optimal insect effectiveness?
Predatory insects, like many living things, have requirements for living environments. Keeping temperatures and humidity in ranges for predator activity increases effectiveness. Idea temperature and humidity along with the preferred food source promotes maximum predator reproduction rates. Cover cropping can help provide conducive habitats for predator breeding as well as help to control moisture within the soil. The use of compatible or soft insecticides can also keep pest populations under control. 

Why is continuity important in a predatory insect program?
Ensuring that predatory insects are thriving can lessen the pest population. By providing good habitats and augmented predator releases, predators can outcompete a pest. A single application of predatory insects will not provide the rate of consumption necessary to compete with rapid pest reproduction rates. Repeated applications on a schedule allows for introduction of additional predators while others transition through life stages. Specialist insects often require additional lead times, so planning is a necessity.

How can I use predatory insects to help control not just plants in the greenhouse, but surrounding foliage and structures to prevent infestation?

When introducing predators as part of an IPM program, it is a requirement to look at the environment as a whole. This includes monitoring and treating the entire area surrounding the growing operation. If the greenhouse, for example, is surrounded by pest laden plants, measures must be taken to prevent those pest from moving into the grow. Clean and clear pathways and walkways, use sprays to knock down or eliminate pests or introduce beneficials in surrounding plants if economic thresholds allow it. 

I want to use predatory insects, but I need to spray. What should I consider?

A ladybug hunting aphids

Timing is everything. Applying compatible or soft sprays can help to bring down pest populations to a level in which predator introductions can thrive. When using sprays, make sure there are no residual effects that will harm predators. Many biological sprays can be used in conjunction with predators and cause no harm to their populations. 
As the requirement for final product testing becomes everyday practice, we learn that using chemical inputs during flowering is problematic. It is nearly impossible to ensure that late use of insecticides will not test at levels which prevent the product from going to sale. When using predatory insects in late stages of growth, the need to worry is eliminated.*
*Some labs are testing for foreign matter and Arbico Organics cannot guarantee that leaving insects, in whatever capacity, on the plant will not prevent a result of failing.



If you are unclear as to just how to get going 
with our insects, we are available Monday-Friday 8am-5pm Mountain Time (with some holiday-related closures, of course). We have a roomful of consultants who are more than happy to help you work through your options and best practices; just call 800-827-2847. If you have a specific question, you can also shoot Dr. Buglady an email at drbuglady@arbico.com.

Here’s wishing you beautiful tomatoes in all the best colors!

Submitted by Pam & Arianna

Frost Cloth – What do the Numbers Mean?

Sitting in Tucson on a day when the temperature will reach 102^o,  I find it difficult to think about the need for frost protection on my plants. In reality, now is the perfect time to think about what the garden will be needing in a few short weeks. If I don’t plan now for frost protection, the cold will sneak up and plants will suffer or die as a consequence of my poor planning.

Frost cloth has many functions beyond protecting from frost, it offers wind protection, works as a pest barrier and it reduces light transmittance; but perhaps the second most popular reason people use frost cloth is to extend the growing season.  With Tucson as an example, using frost cloth in winter/early spring allows us to plant summer crops like tomatoes and pepper plants before our last date of frost (March 17). This lets us get an aggressive start on the growing season and harvest before temperatures climb to the point of shutting down the pollen. Applied in fall, frost cloth allows us to nurse those tomatoes straight through the winter. There is nothing like a freshly harvested tomato on a gloomy January morning.

In most areas of the country, one of the primary limiting factors for the types of plants that can grow there is how cold the temperatures become. Every plant has a temperature at which they begin to take on physical damage that will impact health and longevity. To determine the level of frost protection needed, it is critical to understand these two data points:

• The average lowest temperatures where you grow. 
• At what temperature do the plants you grow experience damage 

Your local County Cooperative Extension Office has a lot of information regarding minimum and maximum temperatures that is specific to your area. Intellicast.com also has minimum and maximum temperatures for every zip code in the United States.

Once we understand the minimum temperatures that may occur and what plants will have trouble tolerating them, it’s time to decide what type of frost protection to prepare for. Here are the options to consider.

Seedlings Protected by Frost Cloth

The Agribon line of frost protection is known for being high quality and their products are made of an ultra-light spun polypropylene that resists exposure to the extremes of elements. This fabric allows water, light and air to pass through, but not insects. The number in the product name tells you exactly what you can expect in terms of temperature protection.

AG-15 – The lightest weight (.45 oz. per square yard) and least frost protection available. This cloth allows 90% light transmission and is most widely used to protect plants from insects. It is only suitable for a couple of degrees of thermal protection.

AG-19 – Another light weight cover (.55 oz. per square yard) that provides frost protection up to 4^oF. It allows transmission of 85% of light and helps to reduce evaporation. This is an excellent choice for helping to prolong growing seasons in moderate to warm climates.

AG-30 – Medium weight cover (.9 oz. per square yard) that provides up to 6^oF frost protection. There is 70% light transmitted through this cloth.

AG-50 – A heavy weight (1.5 oz. per square yard) protection that works down to 24^oF – meaning it provides up to 8^oF of protection. Since the cloth is denser, light transmission is 50%.

AG-70 – The highest level and heaviest weight (2.0 oz. per square yard) protection. This cloth provides more than 8^oF protection while allowing 30% light transmittance.

When the cloth is doubled (or folded over), the protection doubles and the light transmittance is reduced. So, for example, the AG-30 numbers look like this:

• The temperature protection increases from 6^oF to 12^oF.
• Light transmittance decreases from 70% to 40%.

No matter the season, if you are growing, having some frost cloth on hand is a pretty good idea. The many helpful functions it provides will make your gardening easier and less troublesome.

Contributed by Deb N.

Beauveria bassiana - A Fuzzy Friend in the Battle to Protect Our Coffee Supply

Only six years ago, the horizon looked bleak for coffee bean farmers in Kona, Hawaii. The dreaded coffee berry borers (Hypothenemus hampei) had infested up to 44 percent of Kona’s coffee crop and began threatening the livelihoods of Kona’s farmers!

In a market where quality is king, these coffee farmers could hardly compete with the minimal yields they were working with. Fortunately, the farmers found a surprising solution: the beneficial fungus, Beauveria bassiana. 

Commonly used by organic growers as a broad spectrum pest control spray, B. bassiana is gaining ground in agricultural use as 
a soil drench as well. 

Its popularity can be chalked up to three things:


1.  It is an economically suitable option for most farmers.
2.  It works on nearly every pest insect
3.  It is safe to use around other “good bugs”, including the                  bees we all love.