It's been just over 5 years since we started our aquaponics project. In retrospect, I'm glad we did it but I'm not honestly sure of it's value in a sustainable system. These are the challenges I've struggled with over the time we've had the system.

The Warre' hive is built to resemble as closely as possible a bee's natural home. In nature, honeybees live in the trunks of old trees. The Warre' hive is built with a series of square boxes with top bars on each box for the bees to suspend comb from. The top has a quilt box to provide added insulation and then the roof. The entrance is at the bottom of the hive and the bees are left to build their own comb in each of the boxes.

There are two ways to get beneficials into your yard. You can order them from a supply house such as Evergreen Grower's Supply or Arbico-Organics or you can plant flowers and other plants that will provide habitat for the beneficials.

What are beneficial insects?
Beneficial insects are those who either pollinate flowers or eat other insects that damage plants. If you spend time watching in the garden, you are likely to seem some of each. The traditional American way to deal with insects has been to spray them with some kind of insecticide, whether organic or inorganic. Unfortunately, this not only kills the harmful insects, it also kills the beneficial ones who might otherwise limit the number of harmful ones.

Pests eaten:
aphids, caterpillars (small), leafhoppers, mealybugs, mites, psyllids, spider mites, thrips, whiteflies and some insect eggs

Some favorite plants:
caraway, fennel, dill, coriander, Queen Anne's lace, fernleaf yarrow, golden chamomile, cosmos, tansy, cornflower

Pests eaten:
aphids, scales, psyllids, mites

Some favorite plants:
fennel, dill, coriander, Queen Anne's lace, buckwheat, fernleaf yarrow, golden chamomile, tansy, cornflower, and hops.

Pests eaten:
caterpillars, leafhoppers, other bugs, aphids

Some favorite plants:
caraway, fennel, goldenrod, dill, coriander, Queen Anne's lace, buckwheat, alfalfa, and parsley

Description:
Assassin bugs are long slender bugs with a narrow head and a long beak they use to feed on their prey. They can be black, gray, green, red or brown. The nymphs are only about 1/4 inch growing to 3/4 inch or larger as adults. Some species of assassin bugs also feed on mammals such as rodents or bats.

Pests eaten:
aphids, beetles, caterpillars, flies, gypsy moth, leafminers, moths, sawflies, scale insects, spiders, true bugs, weevil, wood-boring beetle larvae

Some favorite plants:
caraway, fennel, goldenrod, dill, coriander, Queen Anne's lace, fernleaf yarrow, golden chamomile, cosmos, marigold (lemon gem), tansy, cornflower, parsley

Pests eaten:
thrips, mites, aphids, other bugs, small caterpillars, leafhoppers, lygus bugs

Some favorite plants:
caraway, fennel, goldenrod, cosmos 'White Sensation', marigold 'Lemon Gem', alfalfa

Pests eaten:
aphids and other soft-bodied insects

Some favorite plants:
caraway, fennel, goldenrod, dill, coriander, Queen Anne's lace, buckwheat, fernleaf yarrow, golden chamomile, cosmos 'White sensation', marigold 'Lemon gem', and cornflower