A few weeks ago I asked Ilona for some advice on how to deal with garden pests (see this post). She was gracious enough to give me a few pointers, to which I am very grateful.
One of the attack plans we had, in dealing with the aphid problem, was to bring in a commando force of ladybugs from our front yard.
photo - A ladybug near some unsuspecting aphids.
They immediately began attacking (i.e., eating) the aphids. After satiating themselves, they began procreating.
photo - ladybug eggs (orange), laid in and amongst an aphid population.
Within only a few short weeks, the aphid infestation has been reined in, and most of the affected plants are back to producing vegetables.
In researching which insects are friends of the gardener, I noted another friend, the Syrphid fly, whose larva also feed off of juicy aphids. Not unexpectedly, I found many a syrphid fly hovering about our zucchini plants.
photo - Syrphid fly, looking for a nice spot to lay some eggs.
All photos © 2008 A. R. Lopez.
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