New bug
- Thread starter garymc
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drumlinridgewinery
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fourteen spotted lady beetle. He or she is after aphids. They are not native to North America but have been introduced recently to help fight soybean aphids
garymc
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That's too bad. I took the picture while I was in the vineyard, but it was too big to load on the forum. So, not knowing what it was, I squashed it. I would have known not to kill a normal ladybug. I haven't seen any aphids this year on my vines (yet.)
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As a society we have become accustomed to thinking all insects are bad and if we have an insect it must die. While there are many of them that do damage to everything green, there are many more that keep those nasty bugs in check. I am not saying this to lecture anyone but only to say go easy on the bugs until you know they are really a bad thing. Using the prinicipals of IPM (Integrated Pest Management) we learn that there is a certain threshhold at which insects or disease cause enough damage to warrant their control. Until that threshhold is reached, it is better to leave the pest alone while monitoring it for further damage. Even Japanes Beetles as ugly as they can leave vines also have a use - that of helping with a certain amount of leaf removal lessening our work load of hand removal of some leaves.
