![]() Pesticide: Product used to control a pest (includes fungicides, herbicides and insecticides).Pest: A living organism that is present where it is not wanted.Parasitoid: An insect that lives in, or feeds on, another insect host for a period of time eventually killing it.Nymph: An immature growth stage that is a smaller version of the adult form.Commonly called caterpillars, grubs, or maggots. Larva (plural larvae): An immature stage in the life cycle.Beneficials: Invertebrates (animals without a backbone, ie insects) that kill pest species.The images in this article were kindly provided by IPM Technologies and Denis Crawford of Graphic Science. Many thanks to Paul Horne and Jessica Page from IPM Technologies for their support. Furthermore, being able to tell the difference between eggs belonging to pests and beneficials can also be useful. Additionally, learning the different stages in the life cycles of pests and beneficials is helpful too, as some larvae do not resemble the adults that they will grow into (eg Figs. It is obviously important to get this right! It can be a complex process though because some beneficials and pests look similar. 10) which prey on a wide range of pests.įigure 10: All spiders are predators (beneficial). There are many different types of spiders (Fig. 9) feed mainly on caterpillars, such as heliothis larvae. The immature nymphs have bright red markings on their backs which distinguishes them from the mature stage. They are similar to damsel bugs, but are larger and stouter. 8b) which is a pest on plants such as canola (Brassica napus), clover (Trifolium species), lucerne (Medicago sativa) and cereals. All the mites in this group are predators and prey on insects, such as the lucerne flea (Sminthurus viridis) (Fig. 8a) as they have a characteristic pointed head. An easy group to identify is the snout mites (Bdellidae) (Fig. Many different species help control pests. The aphid which appears enlarged and bronze in colour is a ‘mummy’ (an empty aphid shell, left behind after an adult wasp has emerged). 7).įigure 7: Parasitic wasp (Aphidius species, beneficial) attacking an aphid (pest). The wasp larva develops inside the aphid and eventually emerges as an adult, leaving behind an empty aphid shell (or ‘mummy’) (Fig. The female wasp stings an aphid and lays an egg inside its body. For example, the Aphidius wasp attacks aphids. There are many species which parasitise aphid and caterpillar pests, and also insect eggs. Parasitic wasps and flies (also known as parasitoids) 6) and larvae, but the larger species are general predators and will also eat other pests, such as small caterpillars, and insect eggs. Aphids are the main prey of ladybird adults (Fig. (b) Hoverfly larva (beneficial) approaching aphids (pest). Female adults lay their eggs near aphid colonies, so the larvae are near a food source when they emerge.įigure 5(a): Hoverfly adult (beneficial). 5a) are easy to recognise because as their name suggests they hover in the air (often above flowering plants). 4) is native to Australia and is thought to be a predator, not a pest. There are both pest and beneficial species. They are able to kill medium-sized heliothis caterpillars (Helicoverpa species). 3) and nymphs are general predators and eat caterpillars, aphids, other soft-bodied insects and insect eggs. The adults feed on caterpillars, beetles and earwigs, while the larvae usually feed below the soil surface on pests such as cockchafers.īoth the adults (Fig. These are general predators and are also known as ground beetles (Fig. They show a strong preference for aphids and are usually found where they are present.įigure 1: Brown lacewing adult (beneficial). Both the adults and larvae are common predators and eat any insect that is of an acceptable size, as well as insect eggs. The adults are easily recognised by their lace-like wings (Fig. This allows the beneficials to naturally regulate pest populations, further reducing reliance on chemicals.Ĭommon beneficials which may be present on your small farm Ideally, the pesticides used will control the targeted pest, but not disrupt the beneficials present in the crop or pasture. With selective pesticide use, the beneficials (many of which occur naturally in the environment) can be encouraged. In pesticide-based management strategies the chemicals applied to kill pests often kill the beneficials too. How can I use beneficials on my small farm? They form the biological component of an Integrated Pest Management (IPM) strategy. These good bugs are known as beneficial organisms (also called ‘beneficials’) and include predators and parasitoids. Most pest species (bad bugs) have natural enemies (good bugs) that regulate their populations.
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