Pest control services are one of the most important commercial services that exist. These services are provided to those who are affected by the harmful insects which are damaging their property. Pests have been termed to those insects which are a threat to the different crops, plants and other important properties. There are over hundred different species which belong to the pest categories. Each of them can be controlled using different methods and techniques because they have separate characteristics. Pest control services are of majorly two types- chemical and biological. Both the methods of Pest control are effective, however, the quality of maintenance is much better while using a biological method when compared to a chemical method. Thus, people have started to adopt more biological methods nowadays and discarded the use of chemicals and toxic elements to treat the pests with.
One of the most effective and popular biological methods to deal with pests is the technique of releasing “beneficial insects” over the concerned area. Are you wondering what are beneficial insects? Well, as you can understand from the name that these insects have some kind of benefits and thus they have been termed beneficial. Yes, they are actually. These insects, which are mostly predators in nature are used to combat the pest problem in a certain area by releasing them and in turn, they would hunt the pests down as their natural prey. So, this method has been popularly successful and people have discovered a lot of such beneficial insects over time which has helped us to fight the pests naturally without the use of any toxic chemicals. Pest control agencies have used different beneficial insects against the different kinds of pests which affect separate regions. The use of such insects has therefore led to the close study and observation of these beneficial insects for better information.
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Benefits of Using Beneficial Insects
With advancement in the field of science and technology, people have discovered more about these beneficial insects and how they can be used effectively to help humans in their combat against pests. Beneficial insects have a lot of benefits which can be easily acquired if the right methods and conditions are maintained. Here are some important benefits of using the beneficial insects in your professional field.
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Deduction in the use of toxins
– insecticides and pesticides have been popularly used by many people over the years. But these toxic chemicals come with their side effects. They damage the soil if used for long periods of soil and also degrade the quality of the plants and crops drastically. Therefore, many people have stopped using these chemical methods and adopted biological techniques of using beneficial insects as an effective method.
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Toxins kill good bugs
– toxins which are used to combat pests are actually harmful to the insects in a broader sense of the term. Therefore, when you apply them over a concerned area, they tend to affect all the insects present. The good and natural predators of pests are also killed in the process which is actually not good. This is because they help you to combat the pests naturally and all by themselves.
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Resistant to toxins
– a recent study has proven that many species of the pests that affect the human properties have overtime become absolutely resistant to the effects of insecticides and pesticides. They have developed certain characteristics which help them to survive even under the influence of the toxins. Therefore, there cannot be a better way to combat them apart from releasing their natural predators because there is nothing they can do much about being hunted and eaten.
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Convenient and easy
– the use of beneficial insects is much easier and convenient than the use of harmful substances. You would have to invest a lot of money on these substances because they are expensive, make sure that you have the right tools to distribute them over the concerned area and also take care that they are not being overused. But in case of using the bugs, you will only need to release the larvae or the adult insects over the area and sit back. You will also be able to save up a lot of money as well.
So you can see that the benefits are really important and these will help you to achieve a much better and productive way of doing business. Beneficial insects have been of many kinds and each of them helped humans to combat different types of pests.
What Are Green Lacewings ?
Well, as we have mentioned previously that there are several kinds of beneficial insects and one of them is the Green Lacewing. The lacewings are one of the most important and effective insects that have been in the business for a long time now. They have predators’ characteristics and therefore they tend to combat the pests in a certain area absolutely brilliantly. Lacewings are small, tender and very delicate insects. The adult lacewings have wings to help them in flying, however, the larvae do not have any wings. These are generally green in color and thus the name. They take up to 2-3 weeks to fully develop into an adult and can survive for 4-5 weeks under the right conditions. Even though all the species of the lacewings are not predators, some of them also feed on nectar.
Benefits of Using Lacewings to Combat Pests
It is of no doubt that lacewings are absolutely beneficial for the usage to combat pests. There are many benefits which can be obtained by using the lacewings and releasing them into the area which has been affected. Let us have a look at the benefits of using them.
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A sustainable solution
– the usage of lacewings are absolutely sustainable. They are usable for long periods of time because they do not possess any kind of threats to the plants or soil in which they grow. When compared to using toxins, lacewings are much more sustainable and helps to conserve different natural aspects of natural benefits.
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Much easier to use
– the use of lacewings is very easy and they can also be cultivated in a more convenient way when compared to other insects. When you want to use these insects, you would only need to release them in small numbers over a concerned area. Releasing too many of them a result to cannibalism.
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Healthier people & plants
– when you are using lacewings, the need to use toxins is drastically reduced. The less the use of toxins, the better quality plants and crops are produced. Therefore people consume better and risk-free consumption products.
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Reduction in cost levels
– since you will be not using huge volumes of pesticides anymore, there will be a big saving in that section. The reduced costs will allow you to channel the investment in some other important thing. A single lacewing can consume up to 200 aphids in their lifetime which is a significant number and helps to reduce a huge number of their population.
So here are the various benefits which are available when lacewings are used to combat the rising threat of pests over a concerned area. Lacewings are absolutely brilliant when it comes to hunting down pests and therefore many people invest a lot of money on them.
Lacewing Eggs and More About Them
If you are wondering What Do Lacewing Eggs Look Like? Then in this section, we are going to discuss more Lacewing eggs and how you can cultivate them the right way so that they can successfully hatch into the larvae and then into an adult. The lacewings have a step by step developmental lifecycle and every stage is really important to make sure they are developed into a healthy and efficient adult lacewing.
The eggs of a Lacewings are oval in shape. They are really tiny and therefore will be very difficult to be seen with the naked eye. The eggs are generally green in color but however, they turn grey before they are going to hatch and the larvae are going to appear. The eggs of the lacewings are attached to a long, hair-like stalk which holds the eggs for certain period of time. The dimensions of the eggs are about 1/50 inch (0.5 mm) long, whereas the stalk of the egg to which it is attached to is about 1/4 inch long (6 mm). The eggs are laid by the lacewings singly or in groups. So this is the physical aspect of the lacewing eggs and how they look, but there is more to it. To make sure that you have developed a healthy batch of lacewings which you are going to use as an effective method to combat pests is by making sure that the eggs develop and hatch in a very suitable environment. The first and foremost thing which you must ensure is that the eggs survive within being exposed to harsh weather or any kind of mishandling. If you are transferring them to someplace, then make sure you ship them by putting them inside vials of different food like rice hulls, vermiculite etc. Once some of the eggs have hatched you must make sure that the other eggs have hatched as well. This is because they might start attacking each other if they do not get their prey and food. Cannibalism is very common among the lacewings but you must prevent that from happening to save yourself from a huge loss. Lacewing larvae are active throughout the day and mostly during the day but the lacewing adults are active only during the night and thus making them inefficient during the daytime.
So here are the details that you would want to know about the lacewings. We have mentioned how they look, their dimensions and what are various aspects they can be related with. Knowing these details will help you to understand more about the lacewings eggs and their developmental stages.
How to Take Care of the Lacewing Eggs ?
As we have mentioned before, the Lacewings and their eggs are very delicate. There are certain information and important tips which you must keep in mind so that you can facilitate the successful development of the lacewings while they are in their eggs. Let us have a look at these tips that will surely help us to achieve a much better group of lacewings.
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Keep in mind the weather
– Any kind of harsh weather like heavy rain, strong winds etc. can drastically have a severe impact upon the lacewings and their eggs as well. Therefore, you must release them when the weather is favorable for their survival and full development. Try to release them on a somber day during the early morning or late afternoon. This is because during these times the sun is not very scorching and thus the larvae can survive without any problems.
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Temperature and humidity
– The eggs of the lacewings must be kept within a maintained temperature of at least above 50°F for a minimum of 48 hours so that they can develop into the larvae. Keeping them under 50°F can kill the eggs or will take the eggs into an unhealthy developmental stage. It has also been found that the eggs can survive in a much better way if the humidity around their environment is around 75%. However, try to maintain the temperature within 80°F and not more than that.
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Transported safely
– they are very delicate and will require a lot of attention when they are being transferred from one place to another. The eggs must be kept in a vial or stuck to cards so that they do not disassemble. They cannot be exposed to direct sunlight or strong winds. Make sure that the eggs are also stored in the temperature and humidity we mentioned even when they are being transporters.
So here are the different ways in which you can take proper care of the lacewing eggs which you have bought or planning to buy. The eggs are really delicate and therefore the points we have mentioned must be kept in mind thoroughly so that there is no damage caused to the eggs and are effectively used.
How to Release Lacewing Eggs Effectively ?
Once you have acquired the eggs of the lacewings it is important that you release them so that they can combat the pests. But you would want to take care of three important steps when you are interested to release the eggs all by yourself. Let us have a look at the instructions that you must try to follow.
When a few tiny (1/32nd of an inch) larvae can be seen moving inside the container, you would want to start the release process. If all of them are not released soon or at least the once which have hatched, will result in cannibalism.
Now, gently turn and shake the whole container to mix the materials. Spread the material which includes the eggs and larvae in a proper and even manner over the pest infested area.
Do not release too many lacewings over the same area once again. Release a small amount of them at first and then a few more a week later after checking the results that they have delivered by eliminating the pests.
If you have a large area, then you would want to spread them evenly all over the area properly without too much density in one location. Keeping the population small at the first release will help you to understand which area would need more help and which area will be needing less. Engaging too many in one place will be an utter loss due to their cannibalistic nature. You can also take professional help to understand the kind of density will help you and your business.
Final Verdict
If you have read the article until this point, then you are aware of the various aspects of lacewing eggs. We have discussed the various benefits of using lacewings, the looks and dimensions of the eggs and how you can effectively release them into the affected area. Make sure that you follow the important steps and instructions that we have provided in this article because these insects are delicate and their eggs are even more tender. Any kind of mismanagement can cause them to die. Every step must be taken care before they turn into fully developed adult or at least a healthy larva. The temperature readings and humidity count plays an important role in the overall process and should be a top priority in your list of taking good care.
We hope that this article will surely help you to understand and know more about the right steps that will help you to get good and developed lacewings. Use them to combat the pests which have been causing a menace to your property and inflicting huge damage. They are very effective and will surely help you to kill the pests without having to use any kind of toxin and chemical substances that will ensure much better and healthier plants from the next time onwards.
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