Incredible Insects Brochure
Advice to Grow By
UC Master Gardeners of San Diego County
Hotline (858) 822-6910
www.MasterGardenerSD.org
Fun Facts - Incredible Insects
- have diverse shapes, types and lifestyles
- have large populations (some)
- have fast reproduction rates - lots of eggs
- have short lives but can have more than one hatch per year
- use color patterns to confuse predators
- can safely eat toxins and even use them for their own protection!
- use mimicry and camouflage to protect themselves
- have modified body parts to protect themselves and survive:
- Mouth parts - chewing, sucking, siphoning
- Legs - jumping, walking, gasping
- Antennae - used to sense environment and predators better
- have diverse food habits and they may change over their lifetime:
- Herbivore – only eats plants
- Predator – eats other insects
- Parasite – lives and feeds on a host
- Omnivore – eats plants in one stage and insects in another
Insects are Seasonal
Many insects in San Diego County respond to our seasons:
- Spring - Most insects lay their eggs in the spring when plants are blooming and food is abundant.
- Summer - Larvae hatch and feed on plants.
- Autumn - Many larvae develop into pupae and no longer feed. Other populations, like ants, start to die out.
- Winter - Most populations are gone or dormant. Some, like native bumble bees, overwinter in leaf litter.
Knowing about insect life cycles helps you manage insects that feed on your plants. If it is late in summer, you can treat the insects by less harmful means because the population will soon decline naturally.
How Insects Help Your Garden
Over 90% of insects are beneficial in your garden. It is important to know what insects cause damage to plants, and which help manage other insects.
Many native insects do certain tasks in your garden:
- Pollinate flowers and crops, including buzz pollination by bumble bees.
- Recycle nutrients by eating plant material. Example - larvae of green fig beetles eat decaying plant material in the soil, recycling the plant nutrients.
- Produce a variety of products we use for food, inks, waxes, medicines, etc.
- Food for beautiful birds, lizards and other visitors to our gardens.
All of these fun facts are why insects are important in your garden and help keep it healthy. Eliminating “pest” insects means there may be no food for all the beneficial insects who help you, and are part of the larger food web.
Managing Insects When They Eat Your Plants
Some adult or larval stage insects eat your plants. What do you do?
Integrative Pest Management (IPM) is a guideline to managing pest insects without harming other insects, wildlife, or plants. Some of the guidelines are:
Identify the problem:
- Find the insect
- Observe the type of damage
- Look for insect clues (wax, molts, eggs, honeydew, poop, etc.)
- Note which plant is damaged as some insects only feed/lay eggs on certain types of plants; noting which plant provides additional clues.
Try less harmful ways to remove the pest first:
- Remove damaged leaves
- Spray damaged area with water
- Plant resistant cultivars
- Keep plants healthy
- Use insecticidal soaps, Neem oil, and chemical sprays if the above actions are not enough or damage is too great. Follow directions on the container.
More Resources for Help
Websites
Integrative Pest Management
Bug Guide
Plant and Pest Guide Los Angeles State Historic Park
Books
- Extraordinary Insects by Anne Sverdrup-Thygeson
- Insects of the Los Angeles Basin by Charles L. Hogue
The Master Gardener Association of San Diego County supports the University of California Master Gardeners of San Diego County. UCANR is an equal opportunity provider and employer.