Respuesta inmune celular

The following examples of beneficial insects are often mistaken for problems in the landscape. If you learn to recognize these beneficials, you can work with them to protect your environment.

GOOD GUYS

BAD GUYS

Named for the strong odor they emit

when disturbed. Note that in this example, the stink bug has been parasitized. Feed on spider mites, thrips,

leafhoppers and aphids.

Chinch bugs smell bad and make the lawn yellow in little round patches. They are not a problem in a lawn that is not under nutritional and toxic stress. Look for them in hot, dry weather so your can take early

corrective action. This includes increasing soil moisture which will usually prevent an outbreak. Make an insecticidal soap by mixing two tablespoons liquid soap (not

detergent) in a gallon of water.

Natural predators are lacewings, lady bugs and birds.

This is a Twice-Stabbed Lady Beetle Neem, B.t. and garlic are effective against them.

The larger scales are older.

H. SUMMARY

Now that you understand the difference between beneficial and harmful pests, you can keep a clean, pest free home while using pesticides responsibly. Remember our goals: “least-toxic pest management”, also known as “integrated pest management” (IPM).

The idea behind these concepts is to use a range of available options to reduce the amount of pest problems in your home and garden to an acceptable level. Those options include: picking up the bug, dropping it on the ground and stepping on it; not growing the plant if it is always covered with bugs or bug damage; and using chemical controls. By considering all control measures available, and utilizing the least toxic yet effective means, you have implemented Integrated Pest Management.

Some alternatives to killing the pests include:

1. Mechanical Controls - An example is screens which keep mosquitoes out of the house.

2. Cultural Controls - This would include growing plants when the pests are not around or growing the plants so well that they can outgrow the small amount of damage caused by a few insects.

3. Biological Controls - For example, encouraging natural diseases of pest insects, or introducing good insects that destroy the pest insects. There are also some things which occur naturally in nature which we can use to control pest insects. For example microorganisms which cause disease on pest insects. Or naturally-occurring products like plant oils or pyrethrin, which we extract from an African daisy called Pyrethrum.

If these control methods are not effective, the next step is to consider the use of synthetic or chemical insecticides. During consideration, the user should identify those insecticides which, when improperly used, cause damage to the environment, and those which cause very little environmental damage.

Steps to be taken in pest management resulting in the least possible damage to the environment:

1. Choose the right plant for the site, and keep it healthy. Choose one that is adapted to the climate and to the location of the yard where it will be planted. If the site is boggy, and the plant requires a well-drained site, the site should be changed to suit the plant or a plant should be chosen that is more adaptable for the site. After the right plant has been chosen, plant it well and grow it well. That includes all cultural measures like watering and fertilizing. Too much water and fertilizer can make a plant more attractive to pests. A plant will be more resistant to both insect pests and diseases if it is grown and cared for correctly.

2. Walk around and get to know your yard and your plants, which is known as scouting. Observe how do the plants look when they are healthy and growing well. This will enable you to know when something is wrong or at least different.

3. Identify the suspected pest. Be sure that it is not a beneficial or neutral animal, or some natural, harmless growth. If you determine that it is a pest, you should take no action to control it. You should observe it.

4. Continue to observe the pest. Increase the frequency of the scouting inspections, and inspect the pest more closely. Determine whether the damage is getting worse, staying the same, or being reduced by some natural control.

5. Determine if the damage is acceptable. Plants do not have to be perfect. Light damage will usually not harm the plant. Learn to accept some damage, and learn to accept a few bugs in the yard, even if they are doing some damage. Some damage is natural and should be expected.

6. Consider non-chemical methods of control first. Can you just wash it off (you can with a light infestation of aphids), or prune back a little (you can with damage to Oleander by caterpillars)? How about hand-picking those ugly worms on tomato leaves and fruit? You can step on them or collect them in a bag and put them in the garbage. You can use a natural control like Bacillus thuringensis (B.t.) Or plain old vegetable oil from the kitchen (for scale). Try using physical barriers like those you can use for cutworms.

7. If non-chemical methods do not work, consider methods of chemical control. Use the right chemical, and carefully follow label directions. Using the wrong chemical is a waste of time, money, and it hurts the environment. There are usually one or more alternative chemical controls. Use the chemical which is the least-toxic, but which controls the pest. Use it at the proper rate, at the right time, in the right way, etc. Do not spray the entire yard. Just spray where the damage is observed, and a little beyond that area.

CHAPTER FIVE - Registry of Pesticide-Sensitive