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Natural pest control
You may have noticed small, open paper envelopes on many of the plants displayed
in this conservatory. These are filled with sawdust that contains useful insects
and other creatures that protect our plants. We buy these pest-eating creatures
from companies that specialize in natural pest control.
Even here in the greenhouses, our plants are at risk of attack by pests. We need
to keep them healthy, but want to avoid using poisonous chemical insecticides
whenever possible. For your health, we’ve enlisted their natural enemies to help
us fight off these pests.
Predatory mites are among the natural pest control agents we’ve enlisted. They attack
the red spider mite, another species of mite that damages plants. Aphids and greenhouse
whiteflies are a favorite food for the ichneumon fly, another one of our helpers.
Australian ladybugs keep the warmer greenhouses safe: their larva prey on plant-destroying
aphids. But please take note: the aphids look very similar to the ladybug larvae.
If you see what looks like an oversized and unusually active aphid, it’s a friend,
not a foe.
Audio file download
Natural pest control (MP3, 530 KB)
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