Vegetation Control Insect Control: Plant and Insect Relationships

There are a few things that should be self evident. Gravity, for instance, works every minute of every day, and needs no proof aside from the fact that when you drop an object that is heavier than air, it hits the ground.

In the world of biology, as in the world of physics, some things are self evident, although dealing with living things is less predictable, still, they are there, those things that happen in patterns, that are predictable, and consistent. The relationship of plant and insect life is one of these.

Insect and vegetation relationships.

Bugs seek protection, food and water. Vegetation provides the solution to those needs. The insect population in an area increases with the availability of these resources, and uncontrolled vegetation provides those resources in abundance.

The mosquito example.

The mosquito is a good example. One of the questions we hear often is: “Can you do anything to control the mosquitoes around my pond?” The answer is yes! By controlling the vegetation, particularly the filamentous algae that often exists in ponds, we can exercise a high degree of mosquito control. Mosquitoes use the water in ponds to reproduce their young, the pond supplies water for many small animals, which provide the blood the female mosquito needs for reproduction, it provides water for the eggs to hatch and grow as larvae, and the algae, and other thick weeds provide the protection from fish, and other predators which would otherwise eat the larvae and adults.

Herbicide, or Insecticide?

This relationship between uncontrolled vegetation and insects can be repeated in every case. Plants and animals are interdependent. Controlling the growth of brush and weeds, will control the insect and animal population. In most cases, where chemicals are used to control insects, the first chemical that should be used, is an herbicide.

Learn more about mosquitoes in ponds and lakes!