In the world of gardening and landscape gardening , there are a variety of insects that play a important office in controlling pest by preying on them . These marauding worm can be fascinating to honor and can help maintain a respectable Libra the Scales in our garden . Let ’s explore some of the unwashed predatory insects and their singular methods of hunting .
1 . Lady beetle : peeress beetles , also known as ladybird beetle , are perhaps the most well - recognise predatory insects . They have jaw mouthpart and provender on flabby - corporate louse like aphids , mealybug , and mites . Lady beetles are extremely good at controlling aphid populations , making them a gardener ’s best friend . I remember watching gentlewoman mallet as a tiddler , wonder at how they voraciously go through aphids in my mother ’s rose garden .
2 . Ground beetles : Ground beetle are nocturnal predatory animal that jaw and raven their fair game . They have strong mandibles and are in particular fond of slug , snails , cat , and other small insects . I recall encounter ground beetles while release over grease in my vegetable garden . These fast - moving insects would scuttle away as I disturb their hiding place , providing a instinctive defense against potential plague .
3 . Assassin bugs : Assassin bugs are true stealth hunters . They have piercing mouthpart that they use to empale their quarry and inject digestive enzymes , which liquefy the prey ’s inside . They then sop up up the resulting fluid . Assassin bugs are opportunist and feed on a all-inclusive range of insects , include caterpillar , beetles , and even other bug . I vividly remember come across an bravo bug while inspecting my tomato plant plants . It was patiently wait for unsuspicious quarry , ready to strike with lightning hurrying .
4 . Predatory stink bugs : Predatory stink bugs , also acknowledge as spined soldier bugs , have a similar feeding method to assassin bugs . They expend their piercing mouthparts to elicit the fluids from their prey , which primarily lie in of Caterpillar , beetle larvae , and other soft - corporate dirt ball . These beneficial insects are not to be confused with the herbivorous stink bugs that can damage crops . I remember key a grouping of predatory stink hemipteron on my sweet corn industrial plant , wordlessly banquet on a caterpillar plague .
5 . Lacewing larvae and flower pilot larvae : Both lacewing larvae and flower fly larvae are voracious predator in their larval stages . Lacewing larvae have long , reaping hook - shaped mandibles that they utilize to deflate their prey and suck out the fluids . They have a peculiar appetence for aphids , mealybug , and small caterpillar . Flower fly larva , also known as hoverfly larva , have mouthparts that function likewise to a straw , allow for them to suck up the corporal fluids of their prey . They feed on aphid , thrips , and other small insects . I recall remark lacewing larvae and blossom fly larvae in my garden , appreciating their insatiate appetite for pest .
Predatory insects are a valuable asset in maintaining a pest - free garden . Lady beetles and ground beetles use jaw mouthparts to devour their quarry , while assassin bugs , predatory stink bug , lacewing larvae , and flower fly larvae have pierce mouthparts to suck the fluids from their dupe . These various hunt technique ensure a natural balance in our gardens , abbreviate the need for chemical substance pesticides and fostering a healthy ecosystem .
Caroline Bates
