Typically used in gardening, beneficial nematodes are microscopic insects that are usually 0.6 and 2 millimeters in length and prey on aphid insect larvae. Nematodes are beneficial against more than 200 insects including, ants, beetles, flies, weevils, and other harmful garden pests.
Nematodes hunt between 0 and 3 inches deep in the soil for larvae pests by sensing their enemy's heat. They have six stages of life, with the egg being their first.
Then, they experience four juvenile stages and last the adult stage, which is spent almost entirely inside the body of the host.
It is the third juvenile stage where the nematodes become hunters by seeking out pests and entering their body through a natural opening. Once inside, the nematode releases toxic bacteria that poisons the blood of their host within 24-48 hours.
The good bug then consumes the inside of the pest and reproduces. In a few days, the unwanted pest changes color and dies, while the new maturely juvenile nematodes emerge to hunt for additional prey.
Nematodes are a good choice for gardens because they can reproduce rapidly and live up to 20 weeks. However, once the pests decrease in population, so do the nematode, meaning new applications may be needed once a year to control additional garden posts.
