by Emily Taylor
How To Get Rid Of Pests By Making Use Of Their Natural Enemies
Have you got fed up with pests and pesticides? Many pests develop resistance against the use of pesticides. Pesticides also destroy natural parasites and predators. Spraying pesticides cites many harmful effects on humans’ health. It also reduces the fertility of the soil and causes pollution.
Ways to Get Rid of Pests by Their Natural Enemies
- Parasites
Parasites are the creatures that live inside the body of the host. Parasites take its food and lay eggs inside the body of the host. Parasite kills the host. Adult parasite comes out from the body of the host and searches for another host. Parasites are very beneficial to the farmers that grow fruits.
- Nematodes parasitize leeches, fleas, spiders, annelids. Once these insects are dead, it finds another host.
- Many parasitic microbes like bacteria, virus, and fungi kill pests. Bacillus thuringiensis is a toxin of bacteria that kills the host. You can use the spray of this potent toxin to target the pests. Once insects consume it, the gut gets destroyed. The insects get weak as it stops eating and then dies.
- Parasites are also used to control the population of pathogens. Ampelomyces quisqualis is a fungus that parasites mildew fungi that feed on many fruit crops. It initiates the development of the disease by reducing the production of spore.
2. Predators that Feed on Insects
Some examples of predators are wasps, lacewings, spiders, and dragonflies. The predators can eat a lot of insects. Money spider feeds on thousands of aphids.
- Beneficial insects
You can introduce the population of beneficial insects to control various pests. You can attract beneficial insects by supplying access to pollen and nectar. Introduce flower-bearing plants in your garden.
The ladybug beetle is a beneficial insect that feeds on aphids. Aphids are the favorite food of green lacewings. You can buy lacewings eggs. Many hoverflies can be attracted by planting garlic and oregano flowers. Do you want to get rid of mosquitoes? Have you ever thought of when mosquitoes will go away from your house? The adult dragonfly is a fierce hunter of mosquitoes.
Lady beetles are the effective predators to control the population of aphids. Natural enemies of thrips and mites are predatory mites. They are used to control the pests in greenhouse vegetables, strawberries, and fruit trees. Each site has their specific requirement of humidity and temperature.
- Beneficial birds
Birds are one of the best pest controllers. They feed on a wide variety of pests like cabbage butterfly, caterpillars, whiteflies, and snails. The bird feeder attracts birds. You must keep the bird feeder at the right location to attract the birds. You can keep it near to cover and high. They must be kept away from people.
House sparrow prefers the feeders to be kept near their nests. You can use wheat mix, oily seeds like sunflower, egg shells and snail shells. Placing food will attract the birds and finches in large quantity. Some pests were identified as a threat to children, such as cockroaches. Birds are used to effectively eradicate their population from your yard.
Bats are useful birds that feed mouths. Bats come to the garden for water, flowers, and hedges. Bat comes during the night. You can keep bat boxes on the height. Hummingbirds, chickadees, and purple martins eat whiteflies.
- Nematodes
Roundworms or nematodes are used as a natural enemy to get rid of pests. They feed on many pests like carrot root fly. Butterfly eggs are their favorite food. To control pests in your garden, you can buy nematodes. It is an effective way to control the population of fleas in your yard.
- Toads and frogs eat pests
You can arrange a small pond and small rocks to attract toad and frog. They live in humid or damp regions. They eat slugs that can destroy your garden.
- Fishes that feed on Mosquitoes
An American fish called by the name of Mosquitofish is a natural predator of mosquitoes. It is used to destroy the larva of mosquitoes. Some smaller fishes like guppies are also used to reduce the population of mosquitoes.
Advantages of Controlling Pests by using their Natural Enemies
- Ecological benefits: By using this natural pest control method; the food chain does not get disturbed. Using harmful chemicals breaks food chain, and predators remain starved.
- Effective: It keeps the pest away from the agricultural land without harming the environment.
- Safe and healthy: Spraying chemical on the plant or crop can cause many health risks. Using the natural predator method does not cause any harm to human health
- Eco-friendly system: It helps to maintain biodiversity. It balances various ecosystems and provides benefits to nature.
Above mentioned methods are the natural ways to kill pests. We can use their natural enemies to kill them. It is a safe, effective, and natural way to kill pests.