1 Photo
A lacewing larva. In the larval stage, lacewings are voracious eaters of pests, making them desirable and valuable in the garden. Marders will host a talk on Sunday, September 10, on how gardeners can attract beneficial insects. DAVID CAPPAERT, BUGWOOD.ORG
Marders in Bridgehampton will continue to host free Sunday “Garden Talks” throughout fall on a variety of gardening topics.
On September 10, the topic is “Attracting Beneficial Bugs to the Garden.”
Bees and butterflies may be the first to come to mind when thinking about beneficial insects because they are the most popular pollinators, but beneficial insects go beyond pollinators. There are also ladybugs, which prey on garden pests such as aphids, and other predatory insects, including lacewings, assassin bugs, hover flies and mantids. Then there are the parasitic and parasitoid insects, such as braconid wasps, which control tomato hornworm populations.
Certain flowers can be planted that excel at attracting beneficial insects, and when gardeners refrain from using broad-spectrum insecticides, beneficial insect populations can flourish and provide valuable ecosystem services such as biological pest control.
The series will continue on September 17 with “Making More: How & When to Divide Plants in Your Garden,” on propagating plants through division. On September 24 is “Tips for Transplanting,” and on October 1 is “Color in the Fall Garden.”
“Caring for & Choosing Orchids” is planned on October 8, “Adding Color to Your Garden Next Spring” on October 15, “How To Overwinter Dahlia Tubers” on October 22 and “Putting the Garden to Bed, Lawn Care & Fall Pruning” on October 29.
All Garden talks begin at 10 a.m. and run an hour. No RSVP required. Marders is located at 120 Snake Hollow Road, Bridgehampton.
Staff Writer on Aug 30, 2023