In an attempt to reduce the amount of pesticides used in the greenhouse, Beneficial Insects are being put to use to control pest populations. Two key role players in our integrated Pest Management Program, are the Lady Beetle and the Praying Mantis. These, coupled with the use of blue and yellow monitoring cards and sticky traps, have resulted in the reduction of use of commercial pesticides by 60%.

Another Beneficial Insect used occasionally, is the Encarsia Formosa (a tiny parasitic wasp), to control greenhouse White Flies.

When insecticides are required, less toxic ones like insecticidal soap and neem extract are used to reduce the pest populations to levels that the beneficials can overcome.

Neem, a naturally occuring insecticide derived from the seeds of the Neem tree, interferes with a pest's ability to complete its life cycle.