A Bug Named Katy (Cicada)When I was a child, I lived in a small village. All the houses were alike except some were three rooms, some four, and some five. Small and very small homes. Large and very large families. There were two or three homes without children, but for the most part, there were more children than you could shake a stick at. One lady bore seventeen children, and would you believe, there was only one girl in the whole lot.
Know Your Beneficial InsectsMost of us know ladybugs are just one of a group of insects that are beneficial to the garden. But what about the ladybug in other than the adult stage? I discovered something very interesting.
Remedy for Mealybugs on PlantsThe white powdery look you sometimes see on plants is mealybugs that can infest plants after a lot of rain. Take a bowl and mix original Dawn soap and place it into a plastic hand held sprayer. The mix is 2 to 1 heavy on the soap; spray and let dry.
Color To Attract Bees in the GardenProviding bee habitats in your yard or garden can increase the quality and output of your vegetable garden and or fruit trees. They are especially fond of blue and yellow flowers. Likewise they are fond of blue and yellow clothing, yard art, and flags.
How Honeybees Make HoneyWithout these remarkable insects, as many as two-thirds of the plant species in the world' and roughly a third of the average U.S. diet 'would simply disappear.
Soda Bottle for Bee TrapThis past summer our hummingbird feeder was attracting more bees than birds. My husband cut the top off a regular sized soda bottle. He put it on the same rod that holds our humming bird feeder and it attracted a lot of bees. Once the bees found their way in they couldn't get out.
Identifying Beneficial Garden InsectsMy general rule of thumb: the ladybug, praying mantis, and spider can stay. Grasshoppers, ants, aphids, beetles, slugs, snails, and any other bug I find on or under the leaves must go.
Attract Butterflies with Native PlantsAttracting butterflies can be easily be accomplished by using native plants. In my midwest location some of the best plants are Coreopsis, Rudbeckia (Black-eyed Susan) and Echinacae (Coneflower).
Be Careful Not To Damage SpiderwebsWe are very careful not to destroy spider webs. The spider spends day and night catching mosquitoes and other flying insects. We don't have enough mosquitoes to feed many spiders because they have been working hard over the past three or four years.
