The Good The Bad and The Ugly....Bugs that is

[Porterfive]

What insects are beneficial to your compost, which ones are bad for it, or just down right Ugly?

I'll start first....Fireants, logic tells me they would be bad for it because they will eat the good bugs. I have no grounds to base this on... What do you think?

Thanks,

Porter

 

[digitS']

Porter, I have the good fortune to not know much of anything about the red imported fire ant since they don't live here. The ants that do cause me trouble can be gotten rid of just by disrupting their homes. I think they then pack up and move.

There seems to be quite a few silverfish in my compost and maybe the centipedes are in there to eat 'em. Other than that - pill bugs and earwigs, but the earwigs cause me trouble in the dahlias. They also chew on the veggies sometimes, like the ones I grow on top of the oldest pile - eggplants, peppers, basil.

I'm not at all fond of these critters. I'd think that the micro-organisms and red worms would be able to take care of the compost just fine without 'em.

Steve

 

[Nifty]

Check out the pic at the end of this page:

http://www.nifty-stuff.com/compost.php

I was really worried when I saw all the mites, but then was told they were "good mites".

Then of course there are these fun loving guys (don't click if you have a weak stomach):
http://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=11556