One thing that I always say about pest control is that information is king. But that doesn’t just go for how to look out for the bad bugs in your yard. In fact, today we’ll talk about some of the beneficial garden insects that you should welcome with open arms.
What are some beneficial garden insects?
Let’s get down to brass tacks. No fluff here, because we have a lot to talk about.
Lady Bugs
This may be the most commonly loved bug in the U.S. Who doesn’t feel a ittle better when they see a ladybug creeping across their garden?
Ladybugs are predatory beetles that eat a large number of aphids (plant lice) and other harmful bugs. Even in the larval stage, ladybugs will normally consume hundreds of aphids and will grow into adults that may eat up to 5,000 aphids in a lifetime. This greatly reduces the population of harmful insects that will otherwise destroy your plants.
Because ladybugs eat many of the insects that cause damage to garden plants, a good population of the beetles will prevent the need for harmful pesticides. Getting ladybugs to populate your garden may be the tricky part. Products like Wheat (a mixture of wheat and yeast) can be sprayed safely on plants and will attract ladybugs. In addition, planting flowers like angelica and dill and allowing the growth of dandelions in the garden will also promote ladybug populations.
And like I said above, what’s not to love about the colors? One of the most endearing qualities of a ladybug is its appearance. The deep orange to the red shell with black dots, tiny blackheads, and wiry antennae make this beetle look like a piece of art. Ladybugs are among the best-dressed bugs in the garden. While having slugs drag slime across the garden floor may be a bit disgusting, having ladybugs crawl across the leaves of your roses or lilies just adds to the visual appeal.
Assassin Bugs
Now, this bug’s name and appearance are a lot more scary than the actual beneficial garden insects themselves. Assassin bugs are 1/2 to 2 inches long and have a curved mouthpart that looks like a scimitar. The curved mouth part acts as a siphon. After the bug catches its prey in its spiny or sticky front legs, it will stick the mouth part into the insect and suck out its liquids. The largest of the species, the wheel bug (Arilus cristatus), has a cog-shaped dome on its back that resembles a ship’s wheel.
The assassin bug female lays eggs several times during the warm season. The eggs are oval and brown and are usually attached to the underside of a leaf. The larva is similar in appearance to the adults and has the same long body. They do not have wings and must go through four to seven instars or growth periods before they are adults. This takes approximately two months and then the cycle starts anew. The nymphs are prey to birds, large arthropods, and rodents. The assassin bug adults overwinter in leaves, bark, and debris. Assassin bugs are found in weedy or bushy cover during the warm summer months.
They may be in wildflowers, especially goldenrod, towards fall. They are also common in woodland areas, hedges, and along roads, fences and trails. The insects move slowly and are easy to spot. As mentioned, assassin bugs are wonderful beneficial insects to have in your garden. They will hunt down and eat many of the harmful bugs that are frequently found in the garden, which reduces the need for manual or chemical pest control. Unlike praying mantis or ladybugs, assassin bugs are not sold at garden centers for pest control, but understanding their benefits and knowing what they are able to do for you can prevent you from accidentally mistaking this helpful bug as a threat to your garden.
But, do be careful when you see this guy around. Let him do his job, but don’t try to pick them up. Their bite can be painful!
Praying Mantis
Now, this may just be the coolest of the beneficial garden insects.
A praying mantis loves to eat insects – so much so that it doesn’t seem to discriminate, eating both harmful and beneficial insects. In extreme cases when food supplies are low, they may even eat one another. A young praying mantis eats soft-bodied creatures such as aphids, mosquitoes, and caterpillars. When more mature, it can eat beetles, grasshoppers, crickets, and just about any type of problematic garden insect. The praying mantis even feeds on moths at night.
Larger species of the praying mantis, found mostly in warm southern or tropical climates, even eat small rodents, nesting birds, tree frogs, and lizards.
The best way to obtain praying mantises for your garden is to purchase the egg cases from an online supplier of beneficial insects, or from garden centers that carry them. Some online retailers also sell individual mantises that are already prepared to find insects in your garden.
Three egg cases, or approximately 600 eggs, hatch enough praying mantises to cover 5,000 square feet. The cases can be stored in a bag in the refrigerator until the weather outdoors is warm for several weeks. If it’s already warm outside, the egg cases are ready to be placed outside too.
An extreme predator, the praying mantis has such a quick reaction speed that it can even catch a fly that lands nearby. If other insects are destroying your garden, a praying mantis is an efficient exterminator.
Beneficial Garden Insects: Conclusion
Look, I know not everybody out there loves bugs. Especially pests. But bugs such as the one listed here are important for your local ecosystem. If you have an infestation of actual pests, by all means, do your best to be rid of it. But think twice before you go squashing something like a praying mantis or ladybug. We’ve made it into our world, but we can’t keep everything at bay and running correctly ourselves. Try and help your local beneficial garden insects when you can.
