NOT ALL INSECTS ARE PEST

BY
DENNIS OWUSU BOATENG
BUNSO COCOA COLLEGE (GHANA COCOA BOARD)

E.Mail: polonium90@yahoo.com

Introduction

Most of the time when people think of insects it is PESTS that come into our minds. In science the study animals specifically insect has become a major subject of school curriculum. The study of insects which is a branch of zoology or animal science is called entomology. Looking at the taxonomy of insects, they belong to kingdom animalia – phylum arthropoda – class insecta.

The majority of stored pest insects that attack most stored food commodities come from only two of the roughly 26 orders of the class Insecta; Coleoptera and Lepidoptera. On the other hand, predator and parasitoid of stored insect pest comes from the order Hemiptera, Hymenoptera, and Diptera. With this statistics we can say the most the rest can be considered beneficial insects.

Who are Beneficial Insects?

Beneficial insects (sometimes called beneficial bugs) are any of a number of species of insects that perform valued services like pollination and pest control. The concept of beneficial is subjective and only arises in light of desired outcomes from a human perspective. In farming and agriculture, where the goal is to raise selected crops, insects that hinder the production process are classified as pests, while insects that assist production are considered beneficial. In horticulture and gardening; pest control, habitat integration, and 'natural vitality' aesthetics are the desired outcome with beneficial insects.

Encouraging beneficial insects, by providing suitable living conditions, is a pest control strategy, often used in organic farming, organic gardening or Integrated Pest Management.  Companies specializing in biological pest control sell many types of beneficial insects, particularly for use in enclosed areas, like greenhouses. What a lot of people don’t know is that not all insects are pests. In fact, many of them can be used to our benefit.

Beneficial insects pollinate our flowers eg. Bees and some can be used to reduce the populations of insects that we do consider to be pests. Beneficial insects can be used in your yard or garden to reduce populations of insects harmful to plants. For example, in an aphid infested flower or vegetable garden, assassin bugs, flower flies, lacewings, and lady beetles, if introduced can significantly reduce the population of aphids eliminating the need to use a chemical spray.

The effectiveness of controlling pests with beneficial insects can vary with the levels of pests present. When pest populations are high, and there is enough food along with the proper habitat to support the beneficials, they will feed and reproduce more, thus having a greater impact on the health of your yard or garden. On the other hand, when the pest populations are low, the beneficials will have less to eat, and unless alternative sources of food are provided, will leave to search elsewhere for food.

Some Common beneficial insects



Attracting Beneficial Insects

1.    Provide Shelter

All living things need a stable habitat in order to stay healthy and happy. If care is taken to provide shelter where insects can find protection from disturbances; they will be more likely to stick around. Plots of cover crops, perennial flower beds, and hedgerows near flower or vegetable gardens all provide excellent shelter for your beneficial insects.

2.    Provide Water

Insects, just like anything else need water to survive. Providing sources of water for your beneficial insects is a good way to keep them alive and happy. Any small, shallow container will work, but care should be taken to keep the water clean. Changing the water every 2-3 days will do this and will also discourage mosquito’s from breeding. Small sticks or rocks should also be placed in the water to give the insects somewhere to perch.

3.    Provide Alternative Food Sources

When pest populations are low, beneficial insects will feed on pollen, nectar or plant juices to supplement or replace their insect diet.

4.    Incorporate Other Pest Management Strategies

In order to sustain their food source, beneficial insects must allow some of their prey to feed and reproduce. As a result, they will not always be able to solve all of your pest problems. Therefore, other methods of pest management in conjunction with your beneficials may be a good idea. Choosing plants that are resistant to pests works well. Pesticides are also an option, but should be used sparingly as pesticides are harmful to the environment as well as to beneficial insects. Before using a pesticide, research should be done to uncover any adverse effects that these pesticides may have on anything that you don’t want harmed. Information on pesticides can be obtained through the use of gardening journals, library catalogs, and internet use.

Conclusion

I can now conclude with this little information that, not all insects will be classified as pest.

References

1.    "Assassin Bug." Microsoft® Student 2009 [DVD]. Redmond, WA: Microsoft Corporation, 2008.

2.    Farmscaping to Enhance Biological Control", ATTRA - National Sustainable Agriculture Information Service.

3.    insects.about.com/od/insectpests/p/attbeneficials.htm

4.    http://insects.about.com/od/insectpests/p/attbeneficials.htm