Don’t bee fooled: not all bugs are pests

Most insects we encounter on a daily basis are not pests. As the Cornell Garden-Based Learning blog points out, most are harmless or beneficial. In fact, out of the 800,000-1,000,000 species of insects that have been described so far, less than 1 percent could be classified as pests, which are generally defined as any organism that causes annoyance or injury to human beings, human possessions or interests, be that physical (bites and stings), medical (causing illness or disease), or economic (monetary loss to goods or property). We want insects in our gardens, and diverse, healthy habitats can promote beneficial insects that act as nature’s pest control. Some people are even making a business out of it! As for those pesky yellow jackets and hornets, the New York State Integrated Pest Management Program blog suggests scouting out their nests now.