Garden Column for the Salisbury Post
Darrell Blackwelder
June 28, 2002

 When ever anyone mentions bees usually the first reaction
is the painful stings these small creatures can deliver. Bees,
wasps and their relatives certainly are well known for painful
stings and allergic reactions, but these are also creatures that
are very beneficial to man.
 Honey bees play a major role as pollinators for vegetable,
fruit and ornamental crop production worldwide.  Honey, the
natural by-product, is a food staple in many parts of the world.
Most are familiar with honeybees and their contribution in food
production and pollination, but few are aware that these insects
and their cousins not only pollinate but are also predators on
other insect pests.
 A large number bees and wasps from several families prey on
insect pests. Many take their prey, whole or in pieces, back to
their mud, soil or paper nests to feed to the immature wasps.
Hornets feed on a variety of insects including yellow jackets.
Some are small and attack small insects such as aphids. Others
live in the eggs of various pest insects. Larger parasite wasps
attack caterpillars or wood­boring beetles.  These hunting bees
and wasps can be important in controlling garden insect pests.
For example, the common Polistes paper wasps, when hunting, may
thoroughly search plants and feed on caterpillars, often
providing substantial control of these insects.
     The cicada killer, for example, appers to be a very large
fierce wasp much larger than a hornet.  Actually the insect feeds
stictly on cicadas and other insect pests.  Its slow moving and
rather curious flying habit tends to frighten people.  The
creature is very docile and does not sting and most beneficial.
     The greenhouse poinsettia and greenhouse tomato industry in
North Carolina employs a small parasitic wasp, Incarsia formosa,
which controls whiteflies. The small insect effectively controls
so the grower can produce a viable crop without the use of
chemical insecticides.
     You may want to reconsider swatting that bee buzzing your head in
the vegetable garden; they may be trying to help by making a meal
of the bugs eating your vegetables.