permaculture

250 Facilitator’s Handbook for Permaculture Workshops

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Presentation : Encouraging natural pest predators

Method : Facilitator presentation and discussion

Tools : Images, black/white board, markers

References : PC Book MOD 9 – Integrated Pest Management

Objective    :  Participants    learn   about   the benefits    of  pest    predators and how to

attract them into a system

Nature’s method of pest control, which has been working for centuries, is

the relationships within delicate ecosystems. This includes a range of pest

predators that keep pests in check.

As the quality of the environment and its delicate ecosystems are being impacted by

mismanagement and pollution (including pollution from unsustainable agriculture), these

natural pest predators are dying off, which is one of the reasons that pest problems are

increasing.

While presenting the following ideas, the facilitator can encourage a discussion by asking

the participants what they think could attract pest predators to a garden.

You can have a big impact on pest control in your area by attracting natural pest predators

into the garden, farm, or orchard.

You can do this by:

• Intercropping colorful flowers and herbs amongst vegetables and fruit
  trees – Attracts insect-eating birds, spiders, wasps, lacewings ladybugs, and
  praying mantis.


• Building habitats for pest predators with hollow logs, old bamboo, or
  piles of stones – Insect-eating lizards, spiders, ground beetles, and frogs will
  live in these.


• Build a small pond – Attracts many beneficial predators.


• Plant trees near the garden, farm, or orchards – Attracts insect-eating
  birds and bats.

It can take a few years to build up a good natural pest predator population.

Other pest control methods, like natural pesticides, may need to be used in

the meantime.

However, chemical pesticides and even some natural pesticides also kill pest predators

and beneficial insects. Use them very carefully, only when necessary, and only after

trying all other methods.

See PC Book MOD 9 – Integrated Pest Management and other exercises in this

book for reference and ideas. More explanation about these techniques as well as practical

exercises for doing them are presented on the following pages.