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You notice neat circles are being cut from your rose
leaves and the only insects you find are some torpedo-shaped black
beetles in the flowers. Are these causing the problem?
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1. First you have the beetles identified. You find they are flower beetles that feed on pollen and are not
considered to be a pest. You have saved yourself time and money by
not spraying for a harmless insect (or one which may even be
beneficial). |
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2. Then you begin to monitor the plant closely.
An IPM professional in an agricultural crop would set up traps or take
samples with an insect net. You might watch the plant closely for
short periods several times a week. Soon you notice a small bee cutting out pieces of leaf. You have it
identified. It is a leaf-cutting bee. Leaf-cutting bees do not
sting unless trapped or threatened, and are important pollinators
of crops, flowers, fruits and vegetables. |
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3. Now you need to find out whether control is
necessary. Upon further investigation, you find out that chemical control is not
necessary because the plant can tolerate pieces missing from its
leaves. If appearance is critical to you, then you might want to
consider a form of mechanical control, and cover your roses with
cheesecloth or other barrier. You also might want to consider
lowering your standards once you learn about how interesting and
beneficial leaf-cutting bees are. |
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4. Make copies of relevant materials and start a
file on insect pests you encounter. |