Garden Buddies: Making Friends with Beneficial Insects
Author: Sarah Pounders
This ladybug larva can devour as many as 25
aphids each day. An adult ladybug beetle can eat up to
60 of the pests daily!
|
Making new friends is probably the most exciting and scary part of
the new school year for students. Fortunately, garden activities
provide a plethora of opportunities for kids to bond while working
on hands-on lessons (you'll find links to
two such
lessons at the
end of this article). For fun, use beneficial insect studies to model
the process of students getting
acquainted.
Who Are These Bugs, Anyway?
There are more than a million
known species of insects on the planet making up nearly 75% of the
animal kingdom. Unfortunately, many people give insects a bad rap by
focusing
on those considered pests of our
food supply (aphids, whiteflies, potato beetles), homes (termites),
and bodies (mosquitoes and ticks). But these make up a tiny percentage
of the insect population. Most play unseen but crucial roles
in our ecosystem, and some provide us with more obvious benefits
such silk
(silkworms), protection from pest insects (lady beetles), pollination
of food crops (bees), and decomposition of dead organic materials
(dung beetles). We call these industrious six-legged
creatures beneficial
insects.
Here are a few steps for students to follow to get to know their garden
buddies (by the way, these work with two-legged friends, too).
Make introductions. Learn to match a face to a name.
Discover who the beneficial insects are and how to recognize them in
each stage of their life cycle. Obtain some insect field guides, or
download
images from these online guides:
Beneficial Insects from University of Florida
Plant Pest Identification Aid
E-Nature Insects and Spiders Field Guide
Don’t forget spiders!
Kids may love Spiderman, but many
find his namesake creepier than most bugs. That can
change when they learn what a tremendous help spiders can be
in the garden.
(Spiders are arachnids, not insects. Challenge students to discover
the differences between these two classes of arthropods.) Spiders
are voracious, and while not picky about eating “good” versus
“bad” insects, spiders are key players in keeping pests in check.
Welcome them, observe them, and admire their beautiful craft
work. Before you know it, young arachnaphobes will be fascinated,
and
maybe even lose their fears. |
Get to know each other. Once you are able
to identify the beneficial insects, take some time to research their
life cycles and eating habits. Find out what their habitat needs are.
These articles will get you started:
Pollinators and Decomposers:
The
Garden Do-Gooders
Insect predators:
Pest
Patrol - Insect Predators and Parasites
Create a genial environment. Just
like people, insects desire safe and welcoming places. To make
sure
your garden is hospitable to beneficial insects:
-
Don't use any pesticides (organic or chemical).
Although some target specific pests, many will harm both problem
and beneficial insects.
It doesn’t hurt
to have a few pest species in the garden. Plants can tolerate a small
pest population, and they’re part of the food supply for beneficials.
If pests
are eliminated, beneficials will seek other habitat.
-
Grow plants
beneficial insects need for food. Although many will prey on
other insects, they may also need nectar and pollen for a well
balanced diet
in different stages of their lives. You can usually achieve this
by planting diverse plant species, including those native
to your
area. Many beneficials
are attracted to plants in the cabbage, carrot, mint, and sunflower
families. Some specific examples include bee balm, borage, broccoli,
buckwheat,
calendula, candytuft, chervil, chives, cilantro, clover, daisy,
dill, fennel, goldenrod,
mint, parsley, Queen Anne's Lace, sunflower, sweet alyssum, tansy,
thyme and yarrow.
-
Provide a water source. A stone in your birdbath
or a light mist from the hose gives tiny insects safe access
to moisture during dry
times. A pond
or stream will invite an even more diverse array of insects;
perhaps mosquitoes, but also their dragonfly predators (also known
as mosquito
hawks).
Spend some time in your new friend’s world. Watch the movements and habits of your resident beneficial insects.
Students can compare observations with what they learned through
their initial research.
Show respect and appreciation for your new friends. Once you get to know them, make sure to respect their space and needs.
Plan garden activities that will support rather than harm them. For
instance, rather than strip the garden bare at the end of the season,
leave cut plant stems exposed, turn flowerpots that have drainage
holes upside down, and leave twigs and brush in small piles – they
all provide winter cover for your beneficial buddies.
People come and go, and friends can lose touch,
but if you treat them
right you'll always be able to count on your insect companions!
Related Lessons Insect
Safari - Students sharpen their observation skills by going
on an insect safari to uncover the secret lives of these important
garden residents.
Exploring
State Insects - Students learn about and then hunt for your
state insect. If you live in one of the nine states without an official
state insect, consider starting a campaign to adopt one!
Additional Resources
Beneficial
Insects (great photos and information from Oklahoma State University)
(PDF)
BugInfo from the Smithsonian Institution
Meet the Beneficial Insects
Using
Live Insects in Elementary Classrooms
-lo.jpg)
