Beneficial Insects - What, How Do You Use Them

springtails? anyone i really would like to see these nasty little fuckers in my worm bin...

and the mantis i have seen in the wild were always about 4" long (big fuckers) and plain green. i was always told not to kill them because they are endangered, how much of that is true i dunno. i really dont want to order forign bugs to release in my garden as i think thats just a bad idea.

something like this


[h=4]European Praying Mantis[/h]

Matt - what I was trying to say is that Chinese mantis are NOT foreign bugs. They were once upon a time, but so were horses, cows, pigs, wild boar (yes "wild" boar are an introduced species)...

European mantis can be ordered from that site I linked you to on your other thread. They are cheap as well, but again an introduced species just like the Chinese mantis, but again an established introduced species.

Chinese mantis - personally i like the look of European more, fatter body with less prominent wings




I'll ask my bug lab people for you - they have their hands on most local species if you want something truly native, but I want to say they can't ship unless you get some type of permit.

ok i just dont want to be the one to introduce something that is not here. i realized what you were saying before i just didnt know if they were a issue here or not. i guess ill just look for some of these euoropean mantis's

In Alberta here they are all prohibited. They fall under the cities act. The reason is that there has been no studies on any mantid species so they have no idea what ecological impact they would have on the local area if they were to escape. That being said, I have ordered oothecas and enjoyed Raising these very cognitive creatures.

matthebrute said:

these

View attachment 2064563

how can i get the population of these nasty little buggers up in my compost bin? they are benificial correct?

Click to expand...

Those could very well be fungus gnat larva.....possibly even root aphids....thats the 2 bugs I would be looking into to get positive identification.....def a maggot of some sort. But I am pretty sure they are not springtails at any stage of growth...

Gastanker I am sure Matt could get them shipped to his local Coop and collect them there without a permit...

http://www.redwormcomposting.com/fun-stuff/waste-optimization-day-6/

this website calls them springtails, i was just going by what they said. seems like they are aiding in decomposition and thats all i really care about.

matthebrute said:

http://www.redwormcomposting.com/fun-stuff/waste-optimization-day-6/

this website calls them springtails, i was just going by what they said. seems like they are aiding in decomposition and thats all i really care about.

Click to expand...

You may just be breeding fruit flies then, and they are certainly a part decomposition. Somes just better than others...and you link ends pretty much, 'then draws in Springtails'...

yeah, i dunno lol