Many people are squeamish when they see any kind of bug, regardless of what type. Bugs for some people can be pretty scary, but most of the time, they’re more afraid of you than you are of them. Many people indiscriminately think all bugs are bad and use pesticides or harsh chemicals on their garden to keep bugs away, but those chemicals kill good bugs too.
Bugs are an important part of the ecosystem- they help pollinate your plants for maximum harvest and beauty, they also pop feed other critters in the ecosystem, and are vital to your garden’s health. If one or several species of insects disappear, many other will follow suit which is why it’s important to attract good bugs as natural pest control, and preventing harm to them as well, by not using chemical pesticides whenever possible.
So, before you get out your chemical bug killer of choice, take a moment and read through 7 of the best bugs that are beneficial for your garden and what you can plant to attract them to your property below.
1. Lady Bugs- Despite their friendly and generally well-loved appearance, lady bugs are quite ferocious predators. Their favorite meals, which are also common pests in your garden are aphids, whiteflies, mites, fleas, and Colorado potato beetle. Did you know that a single lady bug can consume 40 aphids in an hour? They are attracted by planting dill, having lots of dandelions in your yard, yarrow, and other plants.
2. Praying Mantises- Popular bugs because their interesting appearance, praying mantises are fantastic predators of pretty much every garden pest you can think of. They’ll eat nearly any type of bug if they’re hungry, and sometimes each other if the hunger gets too bad, so for them to stick around, you’ve got to have a pretty decent assortment of pests around to keep them fed. They are attracted to tall, meadow-like grasses and shrubs, marigolds, cosmos and dill.
3. Spiders- Many people loathe spiders and may be wondering about the audacity we have about even putting them on this list- but spiders are nearly the perfect predator, making them an incredibly beneficial species to have around your home and garden. They’ll eat aphids, roaches, grasshoppers, mosquitos, fruit flies and more. They are attracted to tall grasses, mulch and shrub bushes.
4. Green Lacewings- An underrated predator of common garden pests, green lacewings eat aphids, whiteflies, leafhoppers, mealy bugs and caterpillars of pest moths. Soft bodied pests beware, because it’s the larvae of these insects that consumes and eliminates them. They too are attracted to dill and dandelions, as well as angelica and coriander (cilantro).
5. Parasitic Wasps (Braconid and Trichogramma)- Not all wasps pose a threat to humans. Parasitic wasps such as the Braconid and Trichogramma are very small, especially Trichogramma, and they don’t sting or pose a threat to humans. They work by laying eggs on their hosts (Braconid), typically caterpillars, and also lay eggs in other pest species eggs (Trichogramma) so they hatch and kill the host and prevent the species from reproducing effectively. Another one attracted to dill, they are also attracted to lemon balm, parsley, yarrow and others.
6. Assassin Bugs- As the name suggests, these are ferocious predators that have a rather odd appearance much like a cross between praying mantises and squash bugs. They use sharp mouthparts to prey upon unsuspecting pests in your garden. Because of their similarity in appearance to squash bugs as adults, identifying them properly can pose a challenge and you’ll need to look carefully to make sure you aren’t mistaking them for the ever-dreadful squash bug. They are attracted by Queen Anne’s lace, dill, daisies and marigolds, as well as dandelions and others.
7. Ground Beetles- Less of a single species and more of a large group of species, ground beetles are effective hunters of garden pests. They are a group of predatory beetles as both adults and larvae. They eat a wide variety of pesky insects, including thrips, slugs, weevils, silverfish, caterpillars, bad nematodes and more. While some beetles such as “June bugs” should be eliminated from your garden, be mindful of other types of beetles that are helpful and don’t try and crush each one you see. They are attracted to clover, amaranth and evening primrose.
As you can see, not all bugs are bad and some really do a lot to help your garden flourish. If you maintain your property and make adjustments as needed to make your yard a bit kinder to good insects, you will be able to attract these guys and create a symbiotic relationship that benefits you and the critters you share the great outdoors with. Good luck and happy gardening!