Crop Clinic

Not all insects are harmful to crops.  Some can be a major benefit in keeping aphids and other pest numbers down.

Use of some insecticides at the wrong time can upset this balance.

It is not just the distinctive adult ladybirds which eat aphids. They also eat them whilst in their grub stage. 

Lacewings and hoverflies also eat aphids.

Parasictic wasps and many beetles also contribute to keeping aphid numbers down.

Click on the related document to the right to see pictures of these beneficial insects to help you distinguish between friend and foe.

Ladybirds are a popular beetle in fields, since the adults and the larvae eat large numbers of aphids.