By Jasper Shotts and Donald K. Wilson
Before resorting to harsh chemicals, or squashing that bug it might be good to know that there are beneficial bugs to your garden. Many gardeners know about the benefits of using bugs as an organic alternative to chemicals when it comes to gardening, but the same holds true to growing cannabis and hemp. The more natural your grow the better, and nothing gets more natural than harnessing nature to be your ally in your growing experience.
Ladybugs, Ladybirds, or Coccinellidae are one of the most amazing predators of Aphids found in nature. Aphids which will devastate your cannabis or hemp grow, by laying eggs on the underleaf and sapping the nutrition from your plant fear the mighty Ladybug. Releasing Ladybugs, Ladybirds is one of the most effective methods of ridding yourself of Aphids. They will patrol your Cannabis and Hemp plants devouring the eggs laid by the Aphids slowly wiping them out. It is important to spray the area often enough to provide a habitable environment to keep them near your plants.
Praying Mantis, or Mantodea are one of the most amazing beneficial insects, eating a wide range of plant damaging pests: aphids, leafhoppers, mosquitoes and caterpillars. Leafhoppers defoliate a garden at an alarming rate and caterpillars burrow into your nugs or buds and destroy them from the inside out. Praying Mantis perch on your plant waiting in silence to defend it against these incursions of crop destroying pests. Adult mantis will feed on grasshoppers and crickets which can destroy a plant incredibly fast due to their voracious appetite. So before reaching for a harsh unnatural chemical to fight your battle, consider enlisting the power of nature in the form of Praying Mantises.
Hypoaspis miles is one of the little beneficial insects for Cannabis and Hemp growers. They are predators of Fungus Gnats larvae, Thrips Pupae, and even a few other harmful soil living insects. Many growers resort to chemicals to rid themselves of Fungus Gnats and Thrips, as they are both very common problems for growers. Using Hypoaspis can allow you to eliminate the problem without causing issues from the use of chemicals.
Spider mites are the bane of any cannabis grower and a reason for Chrysoperla carnea to be part of your pest management plan. The larvae are predatory and will eat aphids, red spider mites, thrips, and whiteflies. Adults feast on pollen and honeydew; they are non predatory and will remain in the area breeding an army of pest slaying larvae as long as there is enough food. This beneficial insect should be deployed before you have a full on infestation, but will help you reclaim a room or outdoor grow that has been overtaken by cannabis slaying pests.
When growing anything that can and likely will be consumed it is always best to attempt to stay as natural as possible, adding predatory insects to your growers tool box will be a definite game changer to your overall grow experience and the quality of the outcome.
Produced by Green Magi Labs
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