What is the best way to begin using beneficial insects?
First, you have to identify what pest you have. Like going to the doctor – the doctor has to know what’s wrong with you (a virus, bacteria, cancer, etc.) before he or she can treat your problem. It’s the same thing with using beneficial insects. Before you bring in a good bug, you have to know what bad bug is causing the problem. You can identify the pest insect by looking it up in books, gardening magazines, the Internet, etc. If you can’t figure out what kind of insect you have, take it to your Cooperative Extension Office or another local expert. Once you have identified the pest then you can use those same sources to find out which beneficial insects are best to control the pest. How do I put the beneficial insects in the garden? They will probably come with instructions on how to release them, but it will likely involve walking around the garden and shaking the good bugs out of their container. If you release them in the evening or early morning, just after you’ve watered the gard
