Sound Horticulture Bug Blog

Arber Biologicals - Protect Your Plants with Nature

Arber Biologicals - Protect Your Plants with Nature

Now available at Sound Horticulture are two new organic products for plant wellness, Arber Bio Insecticide and Arber Bio Fungicide. They come in small concentrates that are affordable and easy to use. We love that they harness the power of nature in the form of beneficial microbes to do the heavy lifting as they protect plants from common garden pests as well as disease.

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Encarsia, Welcome to the Dark Side

Encarsia, Welcome to the Dark Side
Encarsia formosa is a whitefly predator and parasitoid. The advantages of using Encarsia as a biocontrol agent were recognized over one hundred years ago when an English tomato grower observed whitefly pupae that were once white turning black, and Encarsia emerging from the darkened pupae.  Continue reading

The Mighty Predatory Mites

The Mighty Predatory Mites
These mighty mites are a great entry into using biocontrols. They ship well, are easy to use, and effective. But what is a mite? Mites are tiny arachnids with two body parts, four pairs of legs and sucking mouthparts. These extremely small creatures are about the size of the period at the end of this sentence. They feed on other mites, tiny insects like young thrips and scale, as well as the eggs of insects and mites. Not all predatory mites are the same. This makes them perfect for a greenhouse environment or outdoor crops where change can be constant due to weather, culture, and pest pressure. Continue reading

Manage Flies Naturally This Season

Manage Flies Naturally This Season
Biocontrol doesn’t have to stop at the greenhouse. There are many natural enemies raised in insectaries that are used in landscapes, orchards and even for fly control of livestock and farm animals. Nuisance flies on horses and cattle can be a big problem, and fly parasites are raised and sold specifically to help with this. Continue reading

Ladybugs

Ladybugs
Ladybugs are well known and loved by many people all over the world. They are a sign of good fortune and health. They are welcome in gardens as a natural predator of aphids and other pests. Then why is it not a good idea to purchase them for biocontrol? Following are the five top reasons why we don’t sell ladybugs for biocontrol. Continue reading

Black Vine Weevil

Black Vine Weevil
Are you growing wine grapes, hops, Camellia or rhododendron and notice now, or last season, notching on leaf margins? Feeding damage of buds and flowers? It could be the insect pest, Black Vine Weevil (Otiorhynchus sulcatus) which is spread across the United States and feeds on over 200 plant species. Other susceptible plants include yew, hemlock, begonia, cyclamen, fuchsia, impatiens, primrose, epimedium, bergenia and sedum. Continue reading

Anystis, No Ordinary Mite

Anystis, No Ordinary Mite
One Mite to rule them all, One Mite to find them, One Mite to bring them all, and in the darkness bind them. Just like the One Ring of Lord of the Rings fame, Anystis baccarum, has the potential to become a powerful tool for growers everywhere.  Continue reading

Thrips Control and Intraguild Predation

Thrips Control and Intraguild Predation

Intraguild Predation (IGP) occurs when one biological control agent feeds on another biological control agent. Predators that feed on the same prey are known as a guild. This occurrence can lead to a negative effect on the impact of the biocontrols. Find out more about which biocontrol agents are compatible with each other. 

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