Sustainable Landscaping as an IPM Tool

Jim McGlone

Virginia Department of Forestry

What is IPM? IPM is a sustainable approach to managing pests by combining biological, cultural, physical and chemical tools in a way that minimizes economic, health and environmental risks.

Gardens are Ecosystems

• Components:

– Living – plants, animals (including insects), bacteria, fungi

– Non-living – mineral, water, air, light

– Interactions between and among the living and non-living

THE ROLE OF INSECTS - FEEDING

Herbivores

• Leaves

• Flowers

• Stems

• Roots

Pollinators

Recycling

Seed Dispersal

Predators/Parasites

Pests

• Insects have a role in the garden • Pests get out of check • Need to have some around to keep predators and parasites in the garden • Without ‘carnivores’ we are left with only chemicals

THE ROLE OF PLANTS - HABITAT

Habitat

• Food

• Nesting

• Resting

• Water

• Plants form niches

• Native plants have higher levels of interactions with native insects

NESTING

RESTING

Over Wintering

HOW TO GET THERE - DIVERSITY

Horizontal Diversity

Horizontal Diversity

Vertical Diversity

Temporal Diversity

Many flower flies are pollinators as adults and aphid hunters as larvae.

Butterflies and Moths

Adults will feed on any flower, caterpillars are usually picky.

Key Points

• Increasing plant diversity increases insect diversity, including predators

• Diversity means horizontal, vertical, and temporal

• Use native plants –avoid cultivars, especially those that change shape and/or color of flowers.

• Leave some bare ground for bees

• Keep dead stems and leaves in or near garden

How do I know this works?

• WWMND? – What would mother nature do?

• All pictures were taken in my yard.

• Dr. Michael J. Raupp studies on plant and insect diversity in landscapes.

2010

Conservation Landscaping is Endorsed by Fireflies Everywhere