Bio char

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conserve parasitoid wasps​

Parasitoid wasps are very sensitive to insecticides, so avoid or limit the use of chemical sprays. Most adults feed on plant fluids and sugars, so provide flowering plants that provide nectar sources. The best nectar sources are flowers with wide or shallow corollas where the wasps can easily reach nectar, such as members of the carrot (umbelliferae) and cabbage (cruciferae) families. Plants with floral nectaries are also important sources of food, as are aphids and other honeydew producing sucking insects. Plants that provide shade on hot summer days are a big help to parasitoids. Trichogramma wasps and those that attack scale insects, filth flies, aphids, and other insects can be purchased commercially for release, but it’s important to procure the right species to control the pest you have.

 

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Biology of parasitoid wasps​

Appearance: Parasitoid wasps are typically so small – most range from the size of a fleck of pepper to under 1/2” long – that they can only be reliably identified by an expert.

Life stage(s) that feed on pests: Larvae. Adults usually feed on nectar, pollen, and honeydew, although a few may feed on host insects as well.

What do parasitoids feed on? In general, the eggs, larvae, and sometimes pupae of many insects, including aphids, caterpillars (larvae of butterflies and moths -Lepidoptera), sawflies, beetles, leafhoppers, true bugs, thrips, psyllids, and flies.

• Two species of wasps are very important aphid parasitoids: Aphelinidae and Aphidius (Braconid wasps).
• Trichogramma are endoparasitoids of the eggs of over 200 species of moths and butterflies, and are the most widely released biological control agents in North America.
• Encrytids are highly successful generalist feeders that attack a wide range of host insects.
• Ichneumons and Braconids are primarily parasitoids of dozens of different caterpillars (such as armyworms, cabbage looper, fall webworm, tent caterpillars, tomato fruitworm, redhumped caterpillar). Cotesia spp. (Braconid wasps) are important parasitoids of tomato hornworm and imported cabbageworm

 

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About Tachinid flies
You may be surprised to learn there are many beneficial flies that prey on garden pests. In fact, parasitoid flies are second only to parasitoid wasps in the sheer magnitude of pest insects they kill.

There are 12 families of flies with thousands of species in which some members are parasitoids, but of these the tachinids are the most important.

Most tachinids are endoparasites, which means that the developing larvae (maggots) feed within their hosts.

Adult female tachinid flies employ a variety of methods to ensure their young will have ready access to food as they grow: some lay eggs on leaves to be eaten by caterpillars, others insert eggs or maggots directly into the host, and still others attach eggs or maggots to the outside of the host.

Eggs consumed by the host or inserted by the mother hatch into maggots inside the victim. Eggs affixed to the skin of prey hatch and the maggots bore into the body of the host. Safely inside, the maggots complete their development, consuming their host as they grow.

Who knew so many flies were doing us so much good in the garden

 

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Life stage(s) that feed on pests​

Larvae (maggots). Adults usually feed on honeydew, nectar, or pollen, although a few species feed on host insects as well.

Pest(s)/insects they feed on​

Tachinid flies most commonly parasitize the immature life stages (eggs, larvae or caterpillars, nymphs, and/or pupae) of beetles, butterflies, and moths, but also earwigs, grasshoppers, sawflies, and true bugs. Feather legged fly (Trichopoda pennipes) attacks stink bugs and leaf footed bugs, including squash bug and green stink bug. Istocheta aldrichi parasitizes adult Japanese beetles.

Appearance​

Eggs: Most tachinids lay small (up to 1/20” in size), oblong, white or grayish eggs.
Larvae (maggots): usually develop within the host and are not seen.
Pupae: Are commonly small, dark reddish, oblong cases.
Adults: Many resemble house flies in size and color. They have robust bodies; are usually gray, black, or striped in color; with stout, hairy bristles protruding from the tip of the abdomen. The Feather legged fly is bright orange with velvety black head and thorax; with dark legs (hind legs have a fringe of short, black hairs); yellow feet; large, brown eyes; and brown and black wings.

 

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Where to find Tachinid flies​

• Tachinid flies are found throughout the garden and landscape, and are frequently mistaken for houseflies.
• Feather legged fly is commonly found in the garden laying pale, oval eggs on the side of squash bugs. Istocheta aldrichi (fly in the family Tachinidae) may be seen in lawns and shrubbery attaching eggs to the thorax of newly emerged adult Japanese beetles.
• The most obvious sign of tachinid fly activity may the presence of oblong, white eggs glued to the top of the head or body of a host insect.

How to attract and conserve​

• Most adult tachinid flies feed on nectar and pollen, especially from flowering umbelliferous plants such as carrot, dill, and other herbs, and composite flowers such as asters and rudbeckias , as well as other flowering plants.
• They will also feed on aphid honeydew, so having non-crop plants infested with aphids helps support tachinid flies.

 

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Got my bio pod plus today critters are tomorrow beans

 

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Well there is some validity to putting air to your compost pile usually a banana takes a couple weeks to break down I put air to my pile a week ago on constant air and I just got to keep it damp, but I noticed the banana I put in there a week ago are already broken down so I think it's more benifcial w/ air to the pile than w/o air so I'm going to keep doing it it seems to work much better

 

[Azimuth]

I wonder how it would work in my 5G compost tea bucket? I have an airlift style aerator like you do so it would be simple enough to try it on that, just have to drill some holes in some pipe to spread the air around a bit.

5 gallons might not be big enough to build the heat, but might be worth giving it a shot. I might wrap the bucket in some insulation to see if that can help.

You leave the air on constantly? I'm thinking of putting the air pump on a timer and run it every so often throughout the day.

 

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I wonder how it would work in my 5G compost tea bucket? I have an airlift style aerator like you do so it would be simple enough to try it on that, just have to drill some holes in some pipe to spread the air around a bit.

5 gallons might not be big enough to build the heat, but might be worth giving it a shot. I might wrap the bucket in some insulation to see if that can help.

You leave the air on constantly? I'm thinking of putting the air pump on a timer and run it every so often throughout the day.

I left the air on constantly don't know if that's right or not but I noticed it was dry in the bottom but other than that I just misted it every couple days seems to work I didn't put a temp gauge to it but it was warm! It's working I got mine covered by a peice ofplastic in a 20 gal tote in the basement

 

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I left the air on constantly don't know if that's right or not but I noticed it was dry in the bottom but other than that I just misted it every couple days seems to work I didn't put a temp gauge to it but it was warm! It's working I got mine covered by a peice ofplastic in a 20 gal tote in the basement

It's going faster than the 5 gal bucket of scraps I got with no air

 

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It's going faster than the 5 gal bucket of scraps I got with no air

Ive still been turning it every day though

 

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I have that bubble snake 5 gal I used to use it for brewing tea but I couldn't clean it good enough and a couple other things so I built the air lift instead I like that MUCH better so I drilled more holes in the snake and stuck it on a air pump and put it on a tote and covered it in compost and turned the pump on and never l
lked !

 

[Azimuth]

That's a good idea. I may try a soaker hose to run the air thru. And maybe a larger tote container would be better. Does it heat up well enough in a 5 gallon bucket?

Lots of vids on the Tube. Search Aerated Static Pile Composting.

 

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That's a good idea. I may try a soaker hose to run the air thru. And maybe a larger tote container would be better. Does it heat up well enough in a 5 gallon bucket?

Lots of vids on the Tube. Search Aerated Static Pile Composting.

To be honest Idk because I send it through the vermicomposting system after while so I never checked Temp it takes awhile to get to the worms I'll be sending it through my grub bin here soon to but it seems to get hot, I get condensation on the inside lid and I feel heat but Idk actual temp I can find out I just haven't stuck a temp gauge in there. I think the soaker hose might work if it's a solid one I have blu mat soaker hoses they are a paper of some sort I don't think they would work very good

 

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My better half is Fixing to make some rice krispies treats and multi flavor gummies out of sugar free jello and honey today put a dab in when decarboxylizing for the recipe best edibles you can have I usually will throw my old pressing bags in there but I got to get pressing I LOVE this machine anyone can decarb and infuse olive oil ,MCT , coconut oil or butter with this and I've tried the crock pot and cheese cloth way the magic butter maker way and this is the BEST machine I've found HELL I can't even screw it up ! And we have a pressing screen goes right in the unit so we don't waste not 1 drop of the oil in the herb we just decarbed like cheese cloth we gained 25% more oil with this set up turn it on and forget it it does the rest perfect time and temp EVERY TIME

 

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measure your shit per your recipe Put your shit in Ardent flex put on the cap push the #1 button and forget about it ,it'll turn off when it's done decarboxylating , pull off the cap put your oil in there,put the cap on push the other button forget about it, it'll shut off when done press oil out and you are ready to go easy peasy!!

 

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@Azimuth here's my set up my first try at aerated compost seems to be I'm sure there's a better way but it's a start

 

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Yummy yummy normally in the past I threw what I pressed away but I got this expensive up front but........

 

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Gardens to support bees, butterflies, and beneficial insects​

• Pollinators need what every animal needs: food, shelter, water, and a place to raise a family. Nature usually provides all that pollinators need; we just need to stay out of the way and resist disturbing their natural environment.
• Construct pollinator gardens with a variety of colors, shapes, and heights of plants and include plants that flower throughout the growing season to provide nectar and pollen.
• Eco-region variation in Maryland (mountain, Piedmont plateau, and coastal plain) should be considered when planting pollinator gardens.
• You don’t need a large yard or budget. Even a few plants will help.
• Provide host plants in addition to nectar plants, and habitat for reproduction, life cycle completion, and winter shelter. Some pollinators and beneficial insects need the shelter provided by perennial plants growing in untilled areas, woody plant material such as unused firewood and dead branches, and undisturbed soil in areas that are not mowed or cultivated. See Additional Resources below for lists of host plants.
• Avoid planting invasive species like butterfly bush. There are many alternatives like blazing star (Liatris spicata), New York ironweed (Vernonia noveboracensis), and butterfly weed (Asclepias tuberosa) to plant instead.
• Add a water source in or near the pollinator garden. Consider a dish or birdbath, or even a small pond, and change the water every other day to prevent mosquitoes from breeding.
• Do not use pesticides in your yard or garden. Learn to tolerate some damage and control pests in natural ways.

 

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Plant native when possible​

• We all want to plant native species! There are many benefits to using native plants. Mainly, they are adapted to the environment in which they naturally occur. This means they generally require less tending from gardeners because they are more resistant to regional pests, require less additional watering and fertilizing once established, and in some cases provide the only food source for specialist insects that need specific plant nutrients or products (pollen, nectar, oils) in critical stages of their life cycle.
• Seek out sources of native plants. Though your favorite local nursery may supply some native plants you may want to visit nurseries that specialize in native plants or order them from online sources.

There are several websites to help you find nurseries that provide native plants in your area: