Most of the insects in nature are either beneficial or at



least harmless. There are many ways to encourage insect

predators in one's garden.

1. Create a suitable habitat for insect predators. Flowering

shrubs and trees throughout the garden will attract many

beneficial insects including parasitic wasps which require

pollen and nectar for their growth and maturity. Plants

belonging to Umbelliferae family are particularly effective

in attracting natural enemies of pests.

2. Provide alternate hosts for pests. To ensure availability

of food for the beneficial organisms, grow alternate host

plants along fence lines and in between cultivated crops.

The natural enemy populations on these alternate host plants

will control pests attacking the cultivated crop.

3. Create nesting sites for frogs, reptiles and birds. Logs

of dead trees, irregularly shaped rocks with crevices and

cavities and plenty of mulch can be a good nesting sites

for snakes, lizards, frogs, rove beetles and carabid beetles

and carabid beetles, which feed on insects.

4. Increase humidity by providing water holes. Humidity is

much needed for the survival of natural enemies. It serves

as a source of drinking water for reptiles, birds and frogs.

Many predatory insects live in, on and near water. Well-vegetated

small dams, little water pools and swales scattered throughout

the garden will create conditions for the build-up of natural

enemies.

5. Practice mixed crops and harvesting them in strips help

maintain natural enemies and confuses pests. For fungal pathogens,

the practice of mixed cropping is desirable as the root exudates

of another crop can be toxic to the pathogen. Mixed cropping

also encourages soil microbes which, in turn, act as barriers

to the fungal pathogen.

6. Reduce dust build up in crop plants. Dust inhibits the

functioning of natural enemies. Growing well-designed windbreaks

and ground cover crops like centrosema and lablab bean will

reduce dust. Use of overhead sprinklers will also help periodically

in washing off the dust.

7. Avoid spraying chemical pesticides. Chemical pesticides

eliminate beneficial insects. Improved application method

should be developed and minimum doses should be applied.