BUGS...What's the buzz?

(Click on any picture for an up close and personal view;
click 'back' to return to post.)

I was thinking about how I used to view bugs...back then, any insect that moved was creepy and needed to be eliminated. Now, saving bugs is like my mission in the yard and gardens.




Since most bugs are beneficial, using broad-spectrum pesticides kills pretty much all the bugs-beneficial and pests. Once you do that, the pests, who tend to multiply much more rapidly and in greater numbers than beneficial bugs, can take over again with even more vigor.




At this point, I use no chemicals in my garden or yard. My biggest ally is compost, and my best tool is my hori hori. I add compost to my beds every year. As you can see in these pictures, I have plenty of bugs around, including lots of beneficial insects.






Happy bugging,
~Aerie-el