Butterflies are lovely romantic insects that get us tingling with the feeling of love. But the same cordiality can’t be said of every insect. In fact, some insects are a terrible menace to us especially to farmers, inflicting such heavy scale of destruction.

The good news to this, however, is that as a farmer, there is a way around these troublesome insects; talking about control and prevention of their purported nuisance to your farm. It would be important to reinstate that botanical sprays which would look like the almighty resort are actually not the best resort. This is because some of these botanical sprays end up even being toxic to our very crops.

Yet, lets us take a look at some of these dreaded destructive insects that don’t mean well for your farm and ways we can safely get around them.

Aphids are an eternal source of horror for farmers

To the farmer, aphids are big time horrifying and devastating. They promise much havoc than they look. Judging from their appearance, there is such little harm they could do being tiny with just some fragile antennas and two tubes protruding from their abdomen. But as little and simple as they look, they would wreck such disaster on your farm and farmers particularly in North America can attest to the notoriety. Aphids would gregariously suck on the sap of your plants prompting the leaves to collapse owing to foliage. Aside from this menace, aphids benevolently spread viral diseases. So what is the way out?

To control aphids, you could rather take the combative route of encouraging the prevalence of aphids predators or even parasites thoroughly unfriendly with aphids. Among these are lacewings, they would make ready meals of the aphids. But other than this, you can cover your plants with hot pepper, or even sprays that are garlic repellant. Otherwise, you can just wash your plants with neem or more generally horticultural oil.

Mexican bean beetles are heartless insects that would stop at nothing to commit menace

These Mexican bean beetles (when matured) by their appearance have a yellow-brown coloration. They bear an oval curvature most typified by black spots on their wing covers – say precisely 16 black spots. But when not adult, the larvae would look like dark yellow grubs coming with spines.

Mexican bean beetles have a spectacular relish for terrorizing chickpeas, your soybeans, or even your Lima beans. This could be really worrying as they diligently chew on the leaves, living a perforated appearance on the leaves punctured with holes. What would then be the way out of this Mexican been beetle menace?

Worry not, it is all well simple. If it is bush beans you are planting and you are worried about these Mexican bean beetle, you could rather plant your bush beans early. You can also cultivate soybean trap crop. You can also open the party to predators that feast on Mexican bean beetles by drawing in soldier bugs. They would return the terror on the bean beetles eventually chasing them out. Otherwise, you can just spray your plants with neem oil or take the path of bringing in floating row covers.

The cabbage maggot is another destructive insects that worry farmers

Cabbage maggots are deadly when it comes to the generality of cabbage crops. These maggots have an obnoxious specialty for attacking the roots of these crops. Either they kill the plants directly or they lay the foundation for other disease-carrying organisms to come onboard and inflict more casualty. The menace of cabbage maggots should be treated with such ferocious concern and alacrity. Aside from using standard floating row covers, you can also apply red pepper dust to your stems. And you harvest your plants, make sure to burn the roots.

Lastly, we will be looking at caterpillars

Naturally, caterpillars are soft larvae coming with a segmentation apportioned by six legs. They are famous for tormenting fruits and particularly ornamentals. Caterpillars are patient and resilient killers, taking their time and energy to dig into your crops or otherwise chewing the leaves. Solution to caterpillars is not demanding at all. You can easily use your floating row covers, or even simply handpick your harvest. Otherwise, you can invite in predates of caterpillars to get them running from your farm.

So these are some of the worrisome insects you could face as a farmer whether it be beans or ornamental. Adopt the enlisted curative measures and your smile shall be restored back to your face and your crops.