Bug Off! How to Keep Outdoor Pests From Ruining Your Plants and Summer

After spending your time and money on your yard and plants, the last thing you want to deal with is pesky bugs and insects tearing them up. We at Rocky Mountain Bio-Ag can give you organic solutions to your bug problems. There are three primary types of bug you may deal with in your yard and garden.

Mosquitoes

These blood-sucking insects breed in water. While they probably won’t physically harm your plants, they can cause your time outdoors to be uncomfortable. Female mosquitoes suck blood for protein for their eggs and both female and male mosquitoes feed on plant nectar and juices.  

Mosquito Pros

They are a source of food for many animals including birds, bats, and frogs.

Mosquito Cons

There are over 3,000 species of mosquitoes, and they are carriers for some of the world’s most deadly diseases. The red itchy bump you can get from a bite is actually an allergic reaction to the enzyme that is injected into your blood. Some people may have a bigger reaction whereas other people might not have one at all.

Mosquito Control

We carry Microbe-Lift Biological Mosquito Control BMC. This is a liquid application that is safe from humans and animals. We use this product ourselves because it kills developing mosquitoes before they become breeding, biting adults.

Plants That Help Keep Mosquitoes Away

After you’ve applied Microbe-Lift Biological Mosquito Control BMC, we suggest planting some, or all of the plants listed below, to help keep mosquitoes away:

• Citronella
• Lemon Balm
• Catnip
• Lavender
• Marigolds

Ticks

Again, another backyard nuisance, but these ancestors of the arachnid family do more than just bug us, they also transmit some nasty diseases. There are at least nine different types of ticks, but the ones that most commonly feed on humans are the Black-Legged Tick (AKA: Deer Tick), the Lonestar Tick, and the Dog Tick.

Tick Pros 

They’re a source of food for other animals, including chickens and turkeys.

Tick Cons

They carry a multitude of diseases such as Lyme disease, Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, Colorado Tick Fever, and Babesiosis, among others.

Tick Control

We suggest using Tick Killz—an all-natural, liquid insect control product made with 100% organic ingredients that will eliminate not only ticks, but mosquitoes, fleas, gnats, ants, aphids, centipedes, chinch bugs, earwigs, millipedes, mites, spiders, whiteflies, and other nuisance insects.

Plants That Help Keep Ticks Away

While it’s hard to keep them completely gone (the outdoors is their home, after all), you can plant some aromatic plants such as:

• Lavender
• Mint
• Marigolds
• Rose Geraniums

Ants

Oh they’ll go marching one-by-one alright and bring their entire community with them. With over 10,000 species of ants, they are certain to show up in the summer months, but with some of our assistance, we can help you get them off your plants and lawn.

Ant Pros 

They eat eggs of many insects, which alleviates those pests, but they are also prey for birds, lizards, spiders, and snakes. Ants live in a rather complex tunnel system under the ground. These tunnels actually help aerate the soil and allow water and nutrients to flow to plant roots. Ants are also great gardeners because they help disperse seeds.

Ant Cons 

Ants build tunnels underground but need ways to get in and out so they build mounds at the top. Not only are these mounds unattractive, but they also cause the soil in that area to be frail, which can lead to a human or animal injury (either by sinking in the hole or tripping in it). Ants also protect honeydew-producing insects (which do a great deal of plant damage) because they feed off of their honeydew. Also bothersome is that some ants bite or sting (Red Imported Fire Ants, Crazy Ants, Carpenter Ants, Field Ants, Harvester Ants, and Acrobat Ants) and some ants destroy wood (which can cause damage to your home).

Ant Control 

If you feel you are having an ant problem we offer OMRI Listed ANTIXX PLUS dry ant bait. This is a patented, dual-active, ready-to-use dry pelletized ant bait for outdoor use only. ANTIXX PLUS contains Spinosad and iron phosphate to control not only listed ants but slugs and snails also! Spinosad is a soil bacteria that kills insects by both contact and ingestion. The ants will carry this bait back to their nest, infecting its colony as well as the queen. The ants typically die within 48 hours of ingestion.

Tips That Help Keep Ants Away

If you don’t necessarily see these pests but notice that your plants are not as healthy as they should be, are turning brown, or are getting holes in them, it may be time to investigate what could be destroying them. Call us—or stop by—to further discuss your plant/lawn issue. We will solve your problem, organically. Not all pests are bad, but keeping them at bay is important if you want to maintain a healthy lawn and healthy garden.