All of these are beneficial bugs. Great pollinators. Ooops, wait a minute. I just looked up that pretty grasshopper. I read that grasshoppers are terribly destructive pests in vegetable gardens. He's on my basil. Maybe THAT'S who's been eating my basil. I've added slug pellets and they are not slowing the damage. I am reading there's not much you can do about grasshoppers as they are so mobile. BIRDS! come here, birds...
PS. BugGuide says the pretty grasshopper is a Scudderia. They are herbivores, but don't usually eat too much. Sounds like I shouldn't blame him.
Kathy,
ReplyDeleteI was so tired of cut worms destroying my squash plants that I found Tangle Trap Sticky Coating. It's a spray can. You spray it on anything bright yellow and it attracts alot of pests. I found that not only cut worm insects but everything else as well. I do not see any problem with it attracting bees. This is the first year in many years I do not have cut worms. You can buy the pre-coated "cards" but the spray is cheaper. Just spray it on yellow plastic cups or card stock, stick it on posts throughout the garden and voila! I have not tried it on my purple basil which has been eaten by something so for that I can't say it works. I suspect they are being eaten by slugs so I use sluggo.
People need to stop putting pesticides on their lawns. It is killing off the bees who pollinate our fruit and vegetables.
ReplyDeleteThat really is a gorgeous little bug (the Scudderia)--looks like a nymph. I get SO much entertainment value out of the bugs in my garden, I'd probably garden & have pollinator-friendly plants even if I didn't think the plants were cool. Happily, I love them all. =) Loves shots!
ReplyDeleteI found a snail on one of my kale plants in the Belmont plot - that was a first for me!
ReplyDeleteMV
A handsome grasshopper indeed. I have seen lots of small grasshoppers this year, but no big ones yet. Thanks, birds!
ReplyDeleteAwesome, I will look into Tangle Trap Sticky Coating!
ReplyDelete