Bed bugs pests of gardens and vegetable gardens: names and photos, drugs and means to combat them

There are many species in the suborder bed bugs (semiparasites). Garden pests and other outdoor pests have the largest number of species. They live outdoors and most often eat plant food.

The basis of the "diet" of such pests is the sap of greenery.

They can destroy both ornamental, vegetable crops in a cottage or household plot, and wild plants in a forest area. But many species can live on different plants:

shield-borne pests (the turtle bug, cruciferous individuals, the marbled pest, the raspberry or berry pest, and the tree pest);
pear lacemaker;
gadflies, etc.

Insects infest trees, shrubs (raspberries, currants).

The feeding principle of these individuals is based on sucking sap from plantings. The structure of the mouthparts of garden bugs is similar to that of pests of other species. This is one of the common features. Representatives of all species of these semi-hardworms have stabbing-sucking mouthparts.

Garden bugs look different. Each family has its own peculiarities. For example, shield bugs have an oval body and a rigid, slightly convex or flattened shell. The coloration is uncharacteristic of individuals of other species: dark blue, yellow, green, red-black.

Other external signs are the same as those of other bed bugs:

1 pair of tendrils;
3 pairs of limbs;
Wings are present (most outdoor insects have them), which allows bed bugs to move around in search of food.

The body length varies from 1-3 mm to 15-18 cm. It depends on the species of insects. The average size of garden pests is 10-15 cm. Shieldworms are slightly larger than house pests, but they are smaller than predators, street bloodsuckers (for example, if you compare them to the triatom/sniffing bedbug).

Garden specimens cause harm to humans, but not directly, but indirectly - they destroy crops, suck the sap from the green part of plants, affect the grain.

This negatively affects the yield, in addition, not only annuals, but also perennials die. The life cycle of such pests is short. During 1 warm season, several generations of bugs appear. Males do not live long, but females have a chance to survive winter to continue laying eggs in spring.

These pests belong to insects with an incomplete transformation cycle. They first develop inside eggs, then larvae appear, and then young individuals go through several stages of molting. The last stage is the imago. This is the sexually mature individual. The bug starts reproducing almost immediately after the last transformation.

The duration of each stage of development, as well as of all life, varies as influenced by environmental conditions.

Garden bugs prefer a moderately warm climate (temperatures between +20 and +30°C). During the cold season, individuals that stay for the winter fall into a state similar to anabiosis. During this time, they do not need food and do not reproduce.

There are also harmless and even beneficial bed bugs. These insects do not attack people or destroy plantings. They live in large groups. A striking representative of harmless individuals is the soldier (it is often confused with the fire beetle). Useful individuals include:

macrolophus;
perillus;
Pycromerus et al.

They destroy pests, which, in turn, affect cultivated plants.

They feed on the sap of insects, which they kill by injecting secretions into the victim's tissues. They are useful because they help control pest populations.

There are other street bugs:

waterfowl (whitefly, water runner, etc.);
blood-sucking individuals.

The first group includes pests that spend most of their time in bodies of water, but go to the shore for wintering. Such individuals are larger than those that inhabit gardens, parks, forests, and vegetable gardens. There are dangerous ones among them - they can bite a person and feel great pain.

But this is only possible when people pose a threat to insects.

The most dangerous bloodsuckers are the triatomic ones. These bed bugs are distinguished by their bright coloring and are large. Insects of this species live in the tropics, but sometimes individuals appear in Russia, for example, imported after traveling. There are also other street bugs that live near human homes. To get rid of bed bugs (including garden bugs), insecticides are used. However, control methods must be sparing so that plants (especially vegetable crops, fruit trees and shrubs) are not left with poison. It is possible to fight with improvised means, including folk recipes, agrotechnical and physical methods.