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Real World Gardener is funded by the Community Broadcasting Foundation (CBF)

PLANT DOCTOR

with Steve Falcioni, general manager www.ecoorganicgarden.com.au

One of the most easily recognised pests in the garden and one of the most prolific, especially when the really warm weather hits and that's aphids.



Aphids also one of the pests that most likely has the most amount of chemicals you can buy to kill it.

Did you know though, it’s one of the pests that also has the most amount of beneficial insects that attack it?

There’s at least four so before you go out into the garden armed with garden gloves and sprayers, you need to know what you’re really squashing or squirting, because it may just be one of the good guys.

Learning to recognise the difference between pests and good bugs might sound a bit challenging, but there are books on predatory bugs that you can either buy or borrow from your library.

You can also research them on the internet.

 We mentioned, lacewings, hoverflies, ladybirds, and parasitic wasps,-in particular their larval stage which does the eating of the pests in your garden.

These four would be a good start to get to know.

Not only will you be saving your good or predatory bugs but you’ll be saving money from not having to buy so many insect sprays.

Mummified aphids

If you have any questions about your good bugs or aphids or a photo, send it in to realworldgardener@gmail.com or write in to 2RRR P.O. Box 644 Gladesville NSW 1675.