Learning the power of simple methods.

There are over 350,000 different species of Beetles in over 120 families. This figure is equivalent to 30% of all animal species.

Fruit fly affects a wide range of fruit crops including citrus, stone fruit, figs, guava and other soft bodied fruits. They may also attack vegetable fruits including tomatoes, capsicum and aubergine.

They transmit plant disease in their salivary secretions.

Whitefly thrives in protected environments such as glasshouses but also attacks indoor plants.

They cause bleached patches on the underside of leaves, and if infestation is severe the whole plant may be defoliated.

There are thousands of species, and they live in virtually every environment.

How are we to survive insect pests?

The Lord in his wisdom made the fly, And then forgot to tell us why.

They have evolved a wide range of feeding mechanisms.

They are present, expanding their territory and there is slim chance that they will ever be eradicated.

Insect pests can be conveniently divided into chewers and suckers.

In the home garden, caterpillars can be removed by hand

The story of one crop.

European earwigs are reported to be in plague numbers at many locations around Australia at present.

Anything that eats mosquitos is OK by me, so I have a special fondness for bats.

They will control cockroaches, silverfish, slugs, caterpillars, mites and lice.

The native earwig preys on a wide range of other insects and removing important pests such as codling moth and slugs and snails.

Lacewings can provide useful control of aphids, scale, cherry slug, thrips, mealy bugs, whitefly and mites.

A very valuable part of the detritus chain, breaking down organic matter.

Pyrethrum as an organic pesticide.

Mantids are very useful generalist predators. They are sometimes called 'Praying Mantids' because they often sit waiting for their prey, with their front legs drawn up in a 'praying' position.

Beetles can be very effective predators.