Mike and Jody discussed natural enemies or arthropod predators out in the garden that help us with pest management. Here are images of some beneficial arthropods mentioned in the episode.
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Syrphid flies are also called hoverflies or flowerflies. Their adults are pollinators, while larvae perform different roles in the ecosystem. In these images, various syrphid fly larvae can be found where aphids are plentiful. Photo credit: J. Green
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| A predatory stink bug, the spined soldier bug is a generalist predator that may help out with insect pests, but they can also prey on things we like, including the monarch caterpillars. Photo credit: J. Green |
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| Predatory hemipterans in the garden are generalist predators and may feed on pests, parasitoids, and pollinators. Photo credit: J. Green |
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| Green lacewings can bee seen in all life stages around the landscape. Photo credit: J. Green |
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| Brown lacewings do not lay their eggs on thin stalks, but their larvae are good aphid predators. Photo credit: J. Green |
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| Both social and solitary wasps feed their larvae protein, usually in the form of invertebrates like caterpillars. Solitary wasps provision their nests with prey before laying an egg. Photo credit: J. Green |
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| Ants play many roles in the ecosystem - if you see ants on your plants, you likely have a population of aphids. Photo credit: J. Green |
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 | Robber flies perch and actively hunt prey. Photo credit: J. Green
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 | | Wheel bugs in various life stages. Photo credit: J. Kalisch (eggs), J. Green |
 | | Seeing lady beetles/ladybugs may indicate a pest invasion on trees and plants, but ground beetles such as rove beetles and caterpillar hunters prey on a variety of small invertebrates crawling around the landscape. Photo credit: J. Green |
 | | Spiders are generalist predators, and may be active hunters like jumping spiders or sit-and-wait predators like the crab spider. Photo credit: J. Green |
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