This year I put a new focus on learning about the bugs that live in and around my garden. As many Maryland gardeners know, the Brown Marmorated Stinkbug is rough on the garden. Last year it devoured sweet peppers, tomatoes and can be devastating to corn, eggplant and cucumbers. I've been diligently scanning each plant and each leaf and found a few other critters worth evicting and some guardians worth leaving in the garden. Good Bug Bad Bug, by Jessica Walliser, has been integral in identifying and removing the "bad bugs."
As you can see from my book, I've used it quite a bit. In a perfect world the birds would be feasting on all of these critters!
OUT
Flea Beatles: Out, caught feasting on the eggplant leaves Stinkbugs: Out, feasting on cucumbers, hot and sweet peppers, tomatoes and eggplant Slugs: Out, eww Japanese Beetles: Out, well the spiders are taking care of them
IN
Ants: Staying, only because they aren't headed inside the house Lady Bugs: love, eggs just hatched Tuesday! Garden Spiders: Staying, they've been catching Japanese Beetles in their webs Flying/Stinging pollinators:bees, yellow jackets, etc...Staying, they've been busy pollinating
We don't plan on resorting to any pesticides, even the "safe" ones harm the good bugs. We're focused on an organic garden and if that means buying ladybugs and hand-picking bugs off of plants, then so bee it!
I picked up my copy from Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds.