Carpenter bees in Forecourt Garden, Esplanade. Beneficial insects. Mealbugs

Scientific name:	Xylocopa flavonigrescens
Common name:	Yellow-and-black Carpenter Bee
Family:	Apidae

 

 

 BENEFICIAL INSECTS:

3 CATEGORIES.

1. Pollinators: bees,butterflies, flies,moths to pollinate the garden's flowers.

2. Predators: These insects eliminate pests by eating them.  Ladybugs, praying mantids and green lacewing larvae.

 

3. Parasitizers: They are predators, laying their eggs on or in the bad bugs. When eggs hatch, they feed on the host insects. Parasitic wasps are the main members of this category.   

 

 

--------------------

 

Mealybugs are tiny insects, about 1/8 inch in length. Most common mealybug species are whit, have filaments covering their bodies, giving them a fuzzy or hairy appearance. An exception is the hibiscus mealybug which is pinkish-brown and lacks the fringe.

 

They suck sap from leaves and stems. The honeydew secreted by them harbours black sooty mold and spread plant viruses. It attracts ants which protect them.