Farm Companions & Pests
In the sustainable agriculture farm there are many different animals and insects that contribute to the growth and health of the garden. Having more diversity in the beds is always a good sign. My time in the farm has shown me many different animals and creatures benefiting the plants and ecosystem we have created. I have observed finches eating and distributing seeds, worms creating compost, hawks keeping the mice in check, ladybugs eating aphids, and many more organisms but one of the most beneficial insects being the praying mantis. The praying mantis continuously hunts for a range of insects including flies, crickets, caterpillars, grasshoppers and moths that it traps easily with its long barbed legs that move incredibly fast. By eating these insects it cuts down on the number of insects who eat plants, protecting our crop like a natural living pesticide, without the pollution or poison. The only downside of having these mantises in the garden is that they eat such a wide variety of insects that they will eat them all, including the beneficial bugs to the plants like honeybees and butterflies.
Another insect I observed was the cucumber bug, commonly mistaken for a green ladybug, these insects are pests in the garden. They feed on the leaves of vegetables, as well as soft fruits and flowers, while the larvae eat the roots of plants. Many general predators are known to attack the cucumber beetle. Another pest for the praying mantis to feast on.
Zoe Stachowski
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