Garden Protection Plan

 

If all of my gardening research has taught me anything, it's that gardens are fraught with the continued threat of pestilence.  The farm is full to overflowing with grasshoppers and all manner of creepy crawlies at the ready to eat up our country fresh produce.

This year we avoided using poison.  Not so sure about next year.  Fortunately, we do have defenders in the garden working to preserve our produce.

When I first saw an assassin bug, let me be frank, I was a little freaked out.  They are huge with a segmented body and spiky back.  The girls stomped that first one, it gave a satisfying crunch.  That is, until I learned they kill garden pests.  This year I love to find them on my cucumber leaves or tucked into corn stalks.  They are innumerable and by summer's end, enormous.

Assassin Bugs

We also have Robberflies, which are freaky and HUGE!  They have a long, narrowing body and hunched shoulders, so to speak.  Their eyes are quite big and glowy green.  They eat bugs, larvae and grubs, among other things.  I've only seen this fella a couple times.  

Robberfly, so creepy and about 4-5 in long

Finally, and many may disagree, the Black Widow.  This shy gal keeps herself to herself, all the while eating bugs.  One widow in our garage even killed a scorpion.  That works for me!

Now, the last two spiders aren't Black Widows, but they are impressive and eat their fair share of bugs.  Bless their hearts!

Huge garden spider

Lovely brown tarantula