Bachman's Moving Away From Pesticides In Favor Of 'Beneficial Bugs'

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- One of Minnesota's largest floral and garden centers is making a big change to its insect pest management.

Bachman's is working to eliminate its reliance on chemical pesticides, instead opting for beneficial insects.

At the Bachman's growing range in Lakeville, 70,000 poinsettias are among the two floral crops being used to test the new pest-control technique.

"It's a combination of both art and science," said CEO Dale Bachman. "And this year we've used a little bit different science."

Mingled among the red and green leaves of the poinsettias are tiny cards that serve an important purpose.

"This card has parasitic wasps," Bachman said. "As they evolve, the wasps come out and are very difficult to see, very small. They move into crop and then they do consume the pests that we're trying to control."

For the last seven months, the Bachman's crew added new cards of wasp larvae weekly rather than spraying insecticides. The result is full, healthy plants that are nearly chemical-free.

Louis Rutten was one of the growers pushing for the greener alternative.

"We're releasing spiders to eat, for instance, thrips and spider mites, and we're releasing other insects for white fly," Rutten said. "The resistance with pests towards chemicals is getting higher and higher, so we saw at one point we were losing the battle."

While wasp eggs are used on the poinsettias, microscopic spiders are used on the fall mums. Rutten sprays a coating of the insects on the plants every week.

"I think after a year, I think we've seen a lot of progress," Rutten said.

In the two floral crops, Bachman estimates growers have cut out more than 90 percent of the chemicals, paving the way for greener growing seasons in the years ahead.

"It does look like a wonderful crop at this point," Bachman said.

If the beneficial insects continue to be effective pest management that do not impact the plants, Bachman's plans to incorporate the technique into more crops.

Insect pest management is relatively new to the United States. The technique comes from Europe, which has been relying on beneficial bugs over pesticides for years.