How far beneficial bugs travel?

[SD51555]

Anyone ever come across such a metric? I've got pockets all over my place where I could put in some quick/easy/cheap beneficials blends. It got me to wondering how far these bugs will travel from their core food/water area. My openings are more prevalent than my water sources. I don't know that I need any more water though. I don't think anything is ever more than 100 yards from water on my place.

 

[Bill]

Never seen any Matric's on that. I do know of one batch of Mile a minute weevils that left my house and ended up a few hundred miles away on another members farm. But they traveled USPS over night.

 

[SD51555]

I've never taken the time to start to identify any of them. I'd like to start doing that this season. I'm about caught up on major improvements now, so I can really start getting weird on the science stuff.

 

[BrushyPines]

I had thought about buying some live worms that you fish with this summer and put them in my plots to help with the worm population. Just didnt know if it would help out or be a waste of time.

 

[Trinktrink]

I think a lot depends on what kind of bugs you are interested in. If you provide the right host plants and prey for a lot of the beneficial predator and parasitoids they will come and greatly help reduce the pest insects within a certain area. As long as you aren’t using biocides or at least limiting your use of them. I am unfortunately surrounded by heavily dependent chemical using Ag fields but I try to provide a lot of diversity on my property to keep them there.
I would recommend checking out the xerces society, they have a lot of great free publications and webinars on this stuff. Here is a good publication to read when you have time.

https://xerces.org/sites/default/fi...bitat-Planning-for-Beneficial-Insects_web.pdf

 

[Trinktrink]

I had thought about buying some live worms that you fish with this summer and put them in my plots to help with the worm population. Just didnt know if it would help out or be a waste of time.

I would not recommend that. A lot of the fishing worms are invasive and some can do a lot of damage very quick.
Using no till or minimum till and providing diverse crop rotations with a lot of plant exudates and microbes, worms will come and multiple fast.

 

[H20fwler]

I want a bug that will kill jap beetles.....

 

[TreeDaddy]

Honey bees range up to 2 to 3 miles

bill

 

[BrushyPines]

I would not recommend that. A lot of the fishing worms are invasive and some can do a lot of damage very quick.
Using no till or minimum till and providing diverse crop rotations with a lot of plant exudates and microbes, worms will come and multiple fast.

Thanks for the heads up!

 

[Bill]

I would not recommend that. A lot of the fishing worms are invasive and some can do a lot of damage very quick.
Using no till or minimum till and providing diverse crop rotations with a lot of plant exudates and microbes, worms will come and multiple fast.

That's true, when I was tilling I could only dig worms in the clover. After no till their everywhere.

 

[Trinktrink]

I want a bug that will kill jap beetles.....

I would put up bird houses. I know there are several species that eat them.
Also, there is a parasitoid wasp that lays it eggs on the grubs and when they hatch they feed on it.
Diversity is key.

 

[Barndog56]

I don't know how far they travel, but if you grow their host plants it seems they just magically show up. Braconid wasps, soldier flies, lady beetles, lacewings, spiders, and solitary bees are all over my place now.

Just as important as planting a diverse mix to attract them is avoiding sprays that harm them. And not just insecticides, but fungicides and herbicides too.

 

[chucker66]

I want a bug that will kill jap beetles.....

My chickens eat a lot of them. I haven't had near the house in 5 years.

 

[SD51555]

I think a lot depends on what kind of bugs you are interested in. If you provide the right host plants and prey for a lot of the beneficial predator and parasitoids they will come and greatly help reduce the pest insects within a certain area. As long as you aren’t using biocides or at least limiting your use of them. I am unfortunately surrounded by heavily dependent chemical using Ag fields but I try to provide a lot of diversity on my property to keep them there.
I would recommend checking out the xerces society, they have a lot of great free publications and webinars on this stuff. Here is a good publication to read when you have time.

https://xerces.org/sites/default/fi...bitat-Planning-for-Beneficial-Insects_web.pdf

I’m lucky that there’s no ag in my area, so no pesticides. I don’t use them either. My bug situation is pretty solid already around my plots, but I want to spread it over the rest of the property. I’ve been working on a blend of cheap annuals and perennials to throw out there for this, with the idea I don’t create u intended food plots for the deer.

I tried white sweet clover and rape last year in the spring. That barely showed up, and the deer ate it. Now that I’ve gotten a year of vetch under my belt, I think that’s the ticket. Flax is good too, but I have that in my plots all year. I’d also like to try phacelia to see how that does, and give yellow sweet clover another try.


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[H20fwler]

I would put up bird houses. I know there are several species that eat them.
Also, there is a parasitoid wasp that lays it eggs on the grubs and when they hatch they feed on it.
Diversity is key.

I've got bird houses all over the place, it would take some pretty serious flocks to make a dent in the jap beetles in early June around here. With all the soybean fields around me there is no end to them.

 

[Trinktrink]

I’m lucky that there’s no ag in my area, so no pesticides. I don’t use them either. My bug situation is pretty solid already around my plots, but I want to spread it over the rest of the property. I’ve been working on a blend of cheap annuals and perennials to throw out there for this, with the idea I don’t create u intended food plots for the deer.

I tried white sweet clover and rape last year in the spring. That barely showed up, and the deer ate it. Now that I’ve gotten a year of vetch under my belt, I think that’s the ticket. Flax is good too, but I have that in my plots all year. I’d also like to try phacelia to see how that does, and give yellow sweet clover another try.


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White sweet clover is a biennial so it may come back this year and flower depending on how bad it was browsed. I’m going to try some phacelia in a mix this summer, I’ve heard good things about it but I’ve also heard it’s hard to grow in the zone I’m located at. Also will be doing some flax and partridge pea for the beneficials.

 

[Bowsnbucks]

Anyone have an idea as to which species of birds prey on Japs??

 

[Trinktrink]

Anyone have an idea as to which species of birds prey on Japs??

Sparrows, bluejays, common grackles, and starlings I believe are some of the more top predators. There are others that eat them too along with pheasants and turkeys.

 

[Gravel Road]

Could you send a biblical swarm of these birds to take care of my Japanese beetles? It's crazy how much damage they do here in ag country. They love elm trees and will strip entire rows around here; plus crabapple trees don't stand a chance. Funny, but I point out the trees to my wife as we drive down the highway. Easy to miss the damage if you aren't looking for it.

 

[H20fwler]

They decimate our cherry trees bad and hit hazelnuts and chestnuts. If caught early I can spray if trees aren’t to tall. I’ve had the cherry trees completely defoliated before but leaves grow back, stunts that years growth.
I’ve started spraying for them at first sight in late spring now. Some years are really bad others hardly see any…closer lots of fields of soybeans are planted combined with a wet spring and they seem to be worse.
Would be great if birds or praying mantis or wasps would help out with them.