Cultivating News
From "Maple Street Co-op News", Oct/Nov 2004

Natural Pest Control Wrap-up
by Mary Meadows

Frances Michaels gave our previous Healthy Living educational talk on 24 August and her subject was natural pest control.

Frances is a real gem: she gives so much of her knowledge in the most generous manner. She commenced her talk by asking the audience what problems they have with garden pests. The information then simply flowed from her lips.

Some of the many tools at our disposal to combat unwanted critters include: installing nesting boxes for bats that prey on night-flying pests, growing plants that attract beneficial insects, and having chooks free-ranging under trees to eat fruitfly pupae.

Did you know that mealy bugs, scale and aphids are very sweet and are eaten by sugar gliders (hence the name, I guess)? Hedgerows and native shrubs provide shelter for insect-eating birds; rough, untamed areas allow a habitat for beetles and spiders; and small insect-attracting plants with tiny flowers provide a nectar source for the parasitic wasp.

Husband Jeff Michaels ably assisted with the hired slide projector which had a focusing life of its own. Frances handled this with good humour and her talk on natural pest control was enthusiastically received by the audience.

For more information, contact Frances and Jeff Michaels at Green Harvest, telephone (07) 5494 4676, fax (07) 5494 4674, email inquiries@greenharvest.com.au or visit their website, http://www.greenharvest.com.au.

[From "Maple Street Co-op News", Feb/Mar 2005; published by The Maple Street Co-operative Society Ltd, 37 Maple Street, Maleny, Qld 4552, Australia, tel (07) 5494 2088, email maplest.co-op@serv.net.au,
website http://www.maplestreetco-op.com.au]

Address: 37 Maple Street, Maleny Qld 4552, Australia
Telephone: (07) 5494 2088 (int'l +61 7 5494 2088)
Fax: (07) 5499 9246 (int'l +61 7 5499 9246)
Email: info@maplestreetco-op.com.au, or maplest.coop@serv.net.au
Website: www.maplestreetco-op.com.au
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