They may be tiny, but they are also insanely damaging. Aphids are among the most destructive insect pests on garden plants in temperate growing zones. They cling to plants and suck sap, which weakens the plant and makes it susceptible to a host of viruses. They also leave ugly honeydew deposits (a sugary, rich liquid) on leaves, closely followed by sooty mold growth.
Often, the word pest is used to describe anything that crawls, slithers, hops, flies or otherwise invades our neat little worlds or annoys us. We seldom realize that some of these “pests” are actually beneficial, especially for our garden. It is these beneficial pests that we should strive to attract to our yard and garden. Here is a look at those that make our garden a better place and how to attract them.
Organic pest control relies primarily on the use of preventive measures such as maintaining healthy soil, reducing habitats that attract pests, and improving conditions for beneficial insects.
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