Good Bug/ Bad Bug

While researching last week's blogs on "good bugs," the kind that eat destructive bugs in our yards and communities, I was struck by the claim on one website that "If all the good bugs were taken from the earth, mankind could only live for a few weeks." Of course, we depend on good bugs for pollination and balance in the insect world. But in light of this claim, I was interested to read in our Sunday newspaper supplement that the world would be no worse off without mosquitos. They do not fall into the "good bug" category.  According to Parade Magazine's Marilyn Vos Savant, if all the mosquitos on earth disappeared other bugs would take their place in the food chain and we would be safer from the diseases spread by these noxious insects. As mentioned previously here, mosquitos are carriers of malaria, encephalitis, yellow fever, dengue fever, meningitis, and - more significantly here in Southern California, West Nile virus.

So how do we maintain a healthy yard, keeping bad bugs at bay while encouraging the good ones? Several approaches can be helpful. First, take precautions in your yard to diminish the favorable habitats of bad bugs like mosquitos. Empty any containers that may have filled with water from the recent rains. Keep pools chemically balanced and keep water off pool covers. Consider obtaining Gambusia fish, for decorative ponds. These "mosquitofish" are often available at no cost through the San Diego County Department of Environmental Health: 858-694-2888. Other ways to safeguard your home against mosquitos: change water in bird baths at least once a week; keep litter and garden debris out of rain gutters; do not over water your yard; fill holes in landscaping left by tree removal; make an inspection of your yard to assure that you do not have standing water anywhere. 

Another aspect of maintaining a healthy balance between good bugs and bad bugs is to avoid broadcast spraying, or trying to kill every bug in sight. Customers occasionally call who do not want to see bugs of any kind. Rather than specify an insect which is causing concern, such as cockroaches or fleas, they want us to just "kill everything!" Hopefully last week's series on good bugs will cause homeowners to think twice about those hard-working bugs that keep the planet buzzing. We are not sure about the idea that mankind would only survive a few weeks without good bugs, but we would rather not find out. Help us maintain a good balance by identifying targeting only the harmful bugs. For a list of good bugs in California, click here.