Beneficial Garden Insects

Identifying and providing them with shelter, water and food, in the form of flowers, will help us achieve the lush gardens we dream of.

Whether your garden is large or small, formal or informal, you should appreciate and attract these beneficial garden insects into your landscape.

Nature's Garden Helpers

Beneficial insects serve more than one purpose in the garden. Some pollinate our flower and vegetable plants, which would be a daunting chore if we had to do it ourselves.

Others feed on pest insects that can destroy our gardens. And some lay their eggs on destructive insects, where they hatch, feed and eventually kill them off.

Most insects also provide food for the many species of birds and wildlife that frequent our gardens.

Types of Beneficial Garden Insects

Bees and Wasps
Honeybees, parasitic wasps and yellow jackets, unless you're allergic to their sting, offer a great deal to the gardener.

Honeybees pollinate crops and flowers. Parasitic wasps deposit their eggs in destructive insects like aphids and whiteflies, which eventually kills them as the larvae grow. Yellow jackets and hornets feed on flies, caterpillars and other larvae.

Flies
Flower flies, or hover flies, deposit their eggs to feed on an infestation of aphids. Aphid midges do the same.

Tachinid flies are natural predators of tent caterpillars, corn borers, stinkbugs and cutworms, laying their eggs to hatch and feed on these pests.

Beetles
Ladybugs, or lady beetles, feed on aphids, mealybugs, spider mites and other small, soft pests.

Ground beetles are nocturnal predators that feed on cabbage root maggots, cutworms, slugs and snails. Rove beetles decompose manure and plant debris.

Other Beneficial Insects

Dragonflies, or darning needles, devour mosquitos and gnats, and can often be seen around marshes and ponds. Lacewing larvae feed on aphids, caterpillars and thrips.

Spiders and mites, though not truly insects but arachnids, are included as predators. They prey on thrips, nematodes and decaying organic material in the garden.

Attracting Beneficial Garden Insects

Many beneficial insects can be purchased from commercial insectaries for use in gardens and greenhouses.

These include lacewings, lady beetles, predator beetles and aphid midges. But to attract others to your garden, avoid using toxic insecticide sprays or dusts.

Organic pesticides can also destroy beneficial insects. Use them with care only around infestations.

Include plants like cosmos, black-eyed Susan, marigold, butterfly bush, tansy, yarrow, coreopsis and spearmint.

These beneficial garden insects can help us by controlling more invasive and destructive pests. Use care in maintaining your garden to prevent destruction of these garden helpers.