IT’S A TRAP (CROP)
My Kentucky garden has stink bugs, leaf-footed bugs, and aphids. These insects have also been spotted in entomologist Ayanava Majumdar’s research gardens in India, North Dakota, and Alabama, and wherever you are, they’re probably in your garden too. They’re among the most devastating pests for anyone growing food, and farmers and gardeners have gone to great lengths to keep them from destroying plants.
If these and other insects plague your growing season, you’ve likely spent considerable time, effort, and expense trying to eradicate them. This year, when you’re planning your defense strategy, consider planting a few extra plants for insect pests to munch on. It may not seem like the obvious solution to the problem, but this type of well-laid “trap” might be just the thing your garden needs.
Developing Decoys
Majumdar — known to his students at Auburn University as “Dr. A” — first studied and worked in entomology in Uttarakhand, India. When he moved to North Dakota for his doctorate and then to Alabama for his work with
