If you’re scouting for cabbage aphids (Figure 1) in your brassicas this summer, don’t overlook one of your garden’s lesser-known allies: soldier beetles, also known as leatherwings (Figure 2). These beneficial insects can be valuable predators, especially when aphid populations begin to surge in warm weather. Cabbage aphids are difficult to manage due to their…Read more about Soldier Beetles: Summer Allies Against Cabbage Aphids[Read More]
Allison Zablah
As spring brings life back into our high tunnels, it also awakens more than just our crops. This year, our spinach beds became an early battleground in the age-old story between pests and their natural enemies. From the first warm days, we began spotting tiny green aphids clustering on young spinach leaves, sucking sap, and…Read more about Tiny Allies in the Tunnels[Read More]
The presence of syrphid flies, also called hoverflies, is a welcome sight in agricultural landscapes. Syrphid flies contribute to pollination, pest suppression, and decomposition. There are four subfamilies of syrphids: Pipizinae, Eristalinae, Microdontinae, and Syrphinae. Larvae from the Eristalinae subfamily act as recyclers, feeding on decaying organic matter. The Pipizinae subfamily includes species whose larvae…Read more about Insect Spotlight: Syrphid Flies[Read More]