Berks County Cooperative Extension -

INSECTS

You are not alone!

At any given time, approximately 1,000 insects are residing in your backyard. Feeling buggy now? Relax. The great majority of insects are harmless, and quite a few are beneficial. Insects pollinate the blossoms of fruits and vegetables. Predator insects, such as spiders and the praying mantis, give gardeners a helping hand by devouring their destructive cousins.

Insect damage.

While very few insects are classified as pests (less than 3% of all insect species), the damage done by these critters is widespread and considerable. Each year they destroy millions of dollars of food crops, trees, ornamental plants, stored food and other items of value. Lyme disease and other illnesses are transmitted to humans by insects and their relatives. Insects inflict physical irritation on humans and - in rare cases - can cause death.

Use caution when applying pesticides.

If squash bugs are helping themselves to lunch in your garden, think at least twice before applying a pesticide. Believing that if a little is good, more will certainly be better, many home gardeners fail to read mixing and application instructions and apply pesticides to excess. The consequences of pesticide overuse include:

Making food less safe to eat.
Killing beneficial insects, earthworms, birds and pets.
Exposing the gardener to potentially harmful toxins.
Contaminating water supplies.
Degrading the quality of the environment.

Soil pH.

Home gardeners who rely heavily on chemicals may wish to consider alternative methods of pest control, which have the added benefits of improving the quantity and quality of yields. Most fundamentally, the soil should be analyzed to determine the pH level. Guessing soil pH is an exercise in futility; purchase a soil test kit from Penn State Cooperative Extension - Berks County. For directions to the extension office, click here. Maintaining a slightly acidic soil (in the vicinity of pH 6.5) will provide a nurturing environment for earthworms and microorganisms, both of which contribute to soil fertility. A plant grown in fertile soil is better equipped to fend off insect and disease attacks than one grown in soil of questionable fertility.

Fall tilling and other practices to fight insects.

When adding compost or manure as amendments, work them into the soil to avoid encouraging white grubs and other pests from taking up residence in your garden. Tilling the soil in the fall exposes developing insects to their natural enemies and the naturally destructive effects of weather. Using disease-free, insect-free, certified seed and selecting healthy, disease-free plants lessens the likelihood of insect attacks.

Other practices that serve as weapons in the gardener's arsenal in the war against pests and diseases include:

Visiting the garden frequently to see what's going on. Upon first observing pests, take quick and appropriate action.
Rotating crops. Avoid growing the same type of crops in the same area of your garden year in and year out.
Thinning young plants according to the supplier's recommendation. Overcrowding produces weak plants and invites insect assault.
Watering in the morning so plants dry before evening when fungal infections are most likely to develop.
Using mulch to lessen spoil splash, which carries soil-borne diseases to lower level leaves.

Insect identification.

For help in identifying insects, visit the Penn State's entomology fact sheet page. The graphics are excellent, and the fact sheets contain straightforward information, including recommended control measures. If you need to know about an insect in the garden or orchard or on the farm, consult entomology fact sheets.

Source: The Penn State Master Gardener Manual
Document created: 15 December 1999;Revised: 3 March 2001