826-Lancacter Farming, Saturday, September 11, 1999 UNIVERSITY PARK (Centre Co.) For most people, the only good bug is a dead bug. But if your garden crops are being attacked by insects, an entomol ogist in Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences say you should think twice before killing everything with six legs. “Only one percent of insects actually are pests,” said Lyn Garling, education specialist with the Pennsylvania Integrated Pest Management (IPM) Program. “Chances are that most insects you encounter are neutral as far as you’re con cerned. And probably at least 20 percent are, at some point in their lifetime, predators or para sites of other insects.” The difficult part, Garling said, is telling the good bugs from the bad. “When you walk through your garden, think of it as the African Sergeti,” she said. “The pests generally are slow moving and eat leaves or fruit the cows of the insect world. The predators tend to be fast moving The August Dairy Herd Improvement information for dairy herds from the DHI processing center in Provo, Utah. The list includes herds from Maryland, Pennsylva nia, and West Virginia. The information is listed by herd name, county association, number of cows in the herd and the aver age production per cow in the herd based on Energy Corrected Milk (ECM). ECM combines milk production and components. The ECM formula is: (7.2 x lbs. protein) + (12.95 x lbs. fat) + (.327 x lbs. milk). To be included, the herd must have 10 cows aver aging 65 pounds or more of ECM per cow, per day. All herds reported are on official DHI or DUIR test. Also listed are the top ten herds in Maryland for the Brown Swiss, Guernseys, and Jerseys, and the top seven herds for Ayrshires. Herd Name Steve & Christine Wood 74 Anne Arundel 124 Baltimore 56 Caroline 240 282 58 Carroll 57 84 61 176 98 666 137 42 116 12 73 164 159 57 187 62 93 Cecil 112 95 Frederick 256 103 84 197 93 136 59 132 85 31 86 41 87 338 162 Dairy Cattle Research William Warns Faithland Farm Richard Edwards Hollingsworth Daniel 3 Md -Carrollton Windsor Manor Derrwyn Holstems Maple Lawn Farm, Inc Cedar Knoll Farms Marlin Hoff D Richard Flickmger Richard L Hahn Byron D Stambaugh Garstlyn Holstems James & John Myers Joe A Schwartzbeck Unicorn Associates Inc Dwayne & Miriam Bell Panora Acres Inc Gemstone Farm Jerry & Rick Lease Long Green Farms Inc Zion Meadows Grossmckle Farm Inc. Smith-Mead Farm Paul R. Dotterer Wayne Z Tucker Hollow Valley Farm Dave & Carole Doody Jerry & Dawn Murphy Glade-Rock Farm Hobble-Hill Holstems K Scott & Judy Hood Md -Garden Spot Farm Vales-Pnde Ayrshire Dublin Hills Swiss Paul K Coblenlz & Sons G Donald Shafer & Son Make Insects Allies In Battle Against Pests and quick, with large eyes to seek out prey. They are the lions of the insect world.” Garling said there are abun dant beneficial organisms in most gardens. “Wasps, beetles, flies, spiders virtually all orders of arthropods have predators and parasites among them,” she explains. “Probably the tree most common beneficial insects in Pennsylvania are ladybird beetles, green lacewings and hover flies.” • Ladybird beetles, commonly referred to as ladybugs, are predators of aphids and other pests. Adults most often are red, orange or yellow with black marldngs. “Lady beetles in their larval stage are especially vora cious,” said Garling. “But most people would not recognize a ladybug larva, which has an alli gator-like appearance.” • Green lacewings appear mostly in late summer. They are generalist predators,” Garling said. “Adults are pale green,with long antennae and Maryland DHIA Report Cows In Herd Adams, PA ECM 82 1 68.7 67.0 67 8 67 7 65 2 69 3 66.3 Herd Breed Holstein Holstein Holstein Holstein Holstein Holstein Holstein Holstein Holstein Holstein Holstein Holstein Holstein Holstein Holstein Holstein Holstein Holstein Holstein Holstein Holstein Holstein Holstein Holstein Holstein Holstein Holstein Holstein Holstein Holstein Holstein Mixed Holstein Holstein Br Swiss Holstein Ayrshire Br Swiss Holstein Holstein large, transparent wings. The adults feed mostly on nectar and pollen, but their alligator-like larvae eat aphids, spider mites, small caterpillars and other insects, as well as a lot of eggs laid by pests.” • Syrphid flies, or hover files, mostly commonly are yellow with brown or black stripes on the abdomen. They look like a tiny bee, but they don’t sting.” said Garling. “Adults often hover around flowers and feed on pollen. The maggot-like larvae are especially fond of aphids.” Garling said to encourage beneficials, plan or modify the garden habitat to provide for their needs. “Like all wildlife, beneficial insects need food, water and shelter,” she explained. The best way to pro vide those things is to have a diversity of plants in your gar den. You should plant a mixture of perennials, biennials and annuals, and make sure there’s always something flowering. Flowers are a great source of SEE ONE OF THESE DEALERS FOR A DEMONSTRATION: MARYLAND PENNSYLVANIA Dameron Adamstown Carroll’s Equipment Adamstown Equipment, Hagerstown Inc. Carlyle & Martin, Inc. Allentown White ford Lehigh Ag Equipment, Deer Creek Equipment, Inc. Inc. Belleville NEW JERSEY Miller-Lake, Inc Elmer Biglerville Pole Tavern Equipment O.C. Rice, Inc Sates Cor JOH 165- TO 2f SERIE energy for foraging predators and parasites. “Also have a range of archi tecture among your plants - tall, short, vine-like trailing on the ground - because each provides a different habitat,” she added. 'Establish mulched areas that provide a moist environment, and keep other areas dry and airy.” Purchasing beneficial insects for release in your garden is an jption but may not be effective, according to Garling. There are ?ood companies that supply ben jficials for the home garden,” she said. “But you have to know .he biology of the beneficial to be sure it’s going to do what you vant it to. For instance, if it’s not aest-specific, it may go after ather, more abundant pests and aot take care of your particular aroblem. If you have a diverse For August labitat in your garden, most of he work is being done for you ilready, so you’re probably bet er off augmenting the natural >opulation you already have.” Garling recommended using aution when applying pesti ides in your garden. Traditionally, garden pesticides lave been broad spectrum, meaning they will kill a wide range of insects, including bene ficials,” she warns. “Before using pesticides, be sure you know what pest is causing your prob lem. Always carefully read the label instructions, and try to apply the pesticide at a time when beneficial insects are least likely to be present. You also should consider insecticidal soaps, botanicals or other prod ucts that are less likely to affect beneficials.” Carlisle Gutshalls, Inc. Centre Hall Dunkle & Greib, Inc. Chambersburg Clugston Ag & Turf, Inc. 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