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 […]