Ants categories: Natural Enemies Other Natural Enemies revision date: 2022-10-26 05:40 Worker ant (Formicidae)Photo by: D.G. James Biology Every home garden has ants and like spiders these creatures engender fear and loathing in some people. Ants indoors are clearly a problem but outdoors they have an important place in garden ecology and many species play […]
Centipedes categories: Natural Enemies Other Natural Enemies revision date: 2022-10-26 05:39 Stone centipede (Lithobiidae)Photo by: D.G. James Biology All centipedes. are predators of small insects and spiders that live in the ground or on the soil surface. They require a humid environment for survival and are vulnerable to desiccation. They are often found under pots […]
Earwigs categories: Natural Enemies Other Natural Enemies revision date: 2022-10-26 05:38 European earwigPhoto by, unknown Biology So named because of their alleged occurrence in people’s ears! This may have occurred 500 years ago when people slept on the damp ground, where earwigs live. The ear of a twenty-first century human is unlikely to be the […]
Harvestmen categories: Natural Enemies Other Natural Enemies revision date: 2022-10-26 05:37 Harvestman or daddy-long-legs (Sclerosomatidae)Photo by: D.G. James Biology Closely related to spiders, harvestmen are well known as daddy-long-legs and are common in gardens. The body of daddy-long-legs may only measure 1/4 inch, but the legs may stretch for 1 to 1.5 inches! Most species […]
Lacewings categories: Natural Enemies Other Natural Enemies revision date: 2022-10-26 05:36 Adult golden eye lacewing (Chrysopa oculata) (Chrysopidae)Photo by: D.G. James Biology Adult lacewings are delicate-looking slender-bodied creatures (1/2 to1 inch) that fly weakly with lacy, netted wings. There are green lacewings and brown lacewings with the former most frequently seen in gardens. Brown lacewings […]
Praying mantid categories: Natural Enemies Other Natural Enemies revision date: 2022-10-26 05:35 Caption: mantid (Mantis religiosa) (Mantidate)Photo by: D.G. James Biology Amongst the largest (1-4 inches) and most recognizable of garden predators, praying mantids are not fussy about what they catch and eat. They are ‘sit and wait’ predators that pounce on any insect that […]
Predatory mites categories: Natural Enemies Other Natural Enemies revision date: 2022-10-26 05:34 Western predatory mite (Galendromus occidentalis) (Phytoseiidae) with egg (oval) and spider mite eggPhoto by: D.G. James Biology Predatory mites are among the unseen and invariably unsung heroes of the home garden. A typical garden in the Pacific Northwest not treated with pesticides will […]
Predatory thrips categories: Natural Enemies Other Natural Enemies revision date: 2022-10-26 05:33 Predatory thrips (Aleolothripidae)Photo by: D.G. James Biology The majority of thrips seen in gardens are plant feeders but these only occasionally cause significant damage beyond leaf speckling. The western flower thrips is the commonest species and has a wide host range including feeding […]
Snakeflies categories: Natural Enemies Other Natural Enemies revision date: 2022-10-26 05:32 Adult snakefly Agulla sp. (Rhapidiidae)Photo by: D.G. James Biology Snakeflies are similar to lacewings but have an extended ‘neck’ and a long, tapering head resembling a snake’s head. They are about ¾ inch in length and commonly seen in gardens and associated with trees, […]
Spiders categories: Natural Enemies Other Natural Enemies revision date: 2023-01-09 12:00 Orb weaver spider (Araneidae)Photo by: D.G. James Biology Spiders generally evoke negative emotions in people but you should truly be grateful for their presence in your garden! The pest control service they provide is enormous and greatly under-appreciated. There are more than 800 species […]
Parasitic Wasps : Chalcid wasps categories: Natural Enemies Parasitic Wasps revision date: 2022-10-26 04:54 Parasitic Chalcid wasp (Chalcididae)Photo by: D.G. James Biology Chalcids are very small (1/50 to 1/16 inch) dark-colored parasitic wasps, often metallic blue or green with complex sculpturing on the body. There are hundreds of species in the Pacific Northwest mostly attacking […]
Parasitic Wasps : Encyrtid wasps categories: Natural Enemies Parasitic Wasps revision date: 2022-10-26 04:52 Encyrtid wasp (Metaphycus sp.) (Encyrtidae)Photo by: D.G. James Biology Encyrtids are a group of very small (1/50 to 1/16 inch) parasitoids, which are important in biological control in agriculture suppressing scale insects and mealybugs. Other species attack beetles, flies, caterpillars, grasshoppers, […]
Parasitic Wasps : Ichneumonid and braconid wasps categories: Natural Enemies Parasitic Wasps revision date: 2022-10-26 03:29 Ichneumonid wasp (Trogus sp.) (Ichneumonidae)Photo by: D.G. James Biology This group of familiar parasitic wasps comprises a number of species that target caterpillars. Adults usually measure from ½ to 1 ½ inches in length and are slender and long-legged […]
Stinging Wasps : Hunting wasps categories: Natural Enemies Stinging Wasps revision date: 2022-10-26 03:08 Hunting wasp (Sphecidae) carrying caterpillar preyPhoto by: D.G. James Biology Hunting wasps are solitary and rarely sting. There are many species ranging in size from ½ to 1 ½ inches belonging to a number of families and each specializes in the […]
Parasitic Flies : Bee flies categories: Natural Enemies Parasitic Flies revision date: 2022-10-26 03:01 Adult bee fly (Anastoechus sp.) (Bombyliidae)Photo by: D.G. James Biology Bee flies are as their name suggests bee-like with large, fuzzy bodies and range from ¼ to ¾ inch in wingspan. Despite spear-like mouthparts, they are pollen feeders and harmless. Their […]
Predatory Flies : Bee flies categories: Natural Enemies Predatory Flies revision date: 2022-10-26 02:52 Adult bee fly (Anastoechus sp.) (Bombyliidae)Photo by: D.G. James Biology Bee flies are as their name suggests bee-like with large, fuzzy bodies and range from ¼ to ¾ inch in wingspan. Despite spear-like mouthparts, they are pollen feeders and harmless. Their […]
Predatory Flies : Dance flies categories: Natural Enemies Predatory Flies revision date: 2022-10-26 02:50 Adult dance fly (Platypalpus sp.) (Hybotidae)Photo by: D.G. James Biology Dance flies are similar in appearance and size to long legged flies but with shorter legs and usually a humped. They are predators of aphids, flies, thrips and other small soft-bodied […]
Parasitic Flies : Tachinid flies categories: Natural Enemies Parasitic Flies revision date: 2022-10-26 02:01 Tachinid fly (Tachinidae)Photo by: D.G. James Biology Tachinid flies resemble large house flies and are the most important group of parasitic flies usually targeting caterpillars. Tachinids range from ¼ to ½ inch in length and are usually dark, robust and hairy […]
Stinging Wasps : Paper wasps categories: Natural Enemies Stinging Wasps revision date: 2022-10-26 11:23 Introduced European paper wasp, Polistes dominula (Vespidae)Photo by: D.G. James Biology Native paper wasps live in small groups of 6-20 in papery nests hanging from stalks under eaves or from branches in bushes and trees. These wasps search plants for caterpillars, […]
Stinging Wasps : Yellowjackets categories: Natural Enemies Stinging Wasps revision date: 2022-10-26 10:09 Group of Yellowjackets feedingPhoto by: R.D. Akre Biology Yellowjackets are aggressive especially in late summer and fall, do more harm than good and should not be encouraged. The nests of yellowjackets are located below ground or behind walls and may contain hundreds […]