Beneficial Insects
How Trichogramma Protect Your Clothes from Moth Damage
Clothes moths may be small, but their larvae can do serious damage to natural fiber, and traditional fixes like mothballs don't always get to the root of the problem. Trichogramma are microscopic parasitic wasps that work by locating moth eggs and laying their own eggs inside them, stopping larvae before they ever hatch. So tiny that five adults fit on a pencil tip, they're safe for use in closets, drawers, and storage spaces, leave no chemical residue, and are trusted by museums to protect antique textiles. Simply place the egg cards near infestations once a week during moth flight season, and over about 16 weeks you'll see a steady decline in activity. They work just as well outdoors against over 200 species of caterpillars and moths in the garden.
Maximizing Your Fall Garden with Beneficial Insects
Cooler fall temperatures may slow some pests down, but they don't eliminate them, and as long as pests are active, beneficial insects can still do their job. This post highlights four of the best beneficial insects to deploy in the fall garden: green lacewing larvae for tackling aphids, mites, and whiteflies on cool-weather crops; ladybugs for a last push against aphids and scale insects before winter; Trichogramma for controlling caterpillars and moths both in the garden and indoors; and beneficial nematodes for targeting soil-dwelling pests like grubs and fungus gnat larvae below the surface. A fall release not only protects your current harvest but helps set up a healthier garden come spring.!