My list of natural pest predators - any I have missed? Who is your favourite?

[Samuel1988]

Morning everyone,

As I am planning to use no pesticide/herbicides whilst growing my grob, I am planning to use some of natures organisms to help do the job of controlling pest numbers (in addition to other methods).

I have made a list of some beneficial organisms and I will do some research on how best I can attract them to my patch.

If I have missed any please add it onto the thread!

Invertebrates
- Bees: social & solitary
- Wasps: social & solitary e.g. parisitoid wasps (good predators)
- Ladybird beetle
- Lacewings
- Dragonflies/damselflies

Birds
- Robin
- Blackbird
- Sparrows (seen all of these species hunting on the ground and amongst plants)

Amphibians
- Frogs & Newts

Mammals
- Hedgehogs

Soil Micro-organisms
- Predatory fungi

Many thanks,

Samuel

[Samuel1988]

Also any pollinators I have missed add on

[Nicos]

I can understand why you are considering doing this, but....

The problem with nature is that if you have an imbalance everything goes t!ts up!!

For an eg.....hedgehogs eat beetles which are also predatory.
They also eat worms...which you really want on your plot.
Once they have all gone they will start to eat the slugs and snails. Not good news really ( although you might initially think so) cos they will infest the hedgehogs with lungworms and the hedgehogs die young....therefore less hedgehogs.
Not good news.

See what I mean?

Ladybirds...we've had a few infestations of those in the UK over the years....the birds eat them up...loads more birds survive, only to die the following year when there's not enough food to sustain their numbers.
Not good again!

Gets complicated doesn't it?

Having said all that I love the idea that you are wanting to go down the route of no chemicals.

Providing homes/shelters for the predators is certainly a route to take then your bit of land will be more intensely picked over as first and last port of call for the day.

A lot to consider eh?

[Mr Bones]

Milk diluted 10:1 to combat moulds and mildew. Have also used whey mixed 50:50 with black treacle (stabilises it and gives it a shelf life of about three years). Dilute it right down before use and it stops botrytis in it's tracks.

[noviceveggrower]

May I suggest a slow worm. We have them and newts in our garden.
Hubby discovered the slow worms a couple of years ago. Flew up the garden like a whippet and nearly knock our next door neighbour over. She went to investigate with a net because Hubby thought we'd got an adder. She laughed he head off when she saw it and told him he was safe.
Oh and toads as well.

[Samuel1988]

Thanks for your replies every

I must mention that I have no intention of bringing in anything, but more of providing potential homes/food for some beneficial animals in return for them (hopefully) taking out a few pests