Beneficial Insects for the Garden

When we hear about insects in the garden, we often immediately think of pests that are there to destroy the plants we’ve put so much work into growing. While this is true for some insects, did you know that there are also insects that are beneficial for our gardens? There are some insects that are great to have protecting your plants, as well as lawn insects that stay firmly on the ground.

Not only can these insects help to protect your prized plants, but they can also protect your wallet. They work for free, and having them around limits the need for pesticides and products, saving you money in the long run.

Good bugs can be split into three categories; pollinators, predators, and parasitizers.

1. Pollinators:

These are the insects that spread pollen between flowers while searching for nectar and pollen for themselves. The pollen that’s spread then encourages fruit and flowers to grow from our plants.

2. Predators:

Some pests love munching on our plants’ leaves, harming their overall health. Predator insects prey on these pests, helping to keep their presence in our gardens at bay.

3. Parasitizers:

Similar to predators, parasitizers eliminate nasty pests, but these insects do so by laying eggs on or in the pests. When the eggs hatch into larvae, they feed on the host.

Beneficial Bugs

Here are some of the best insects that lend a helping hand in your garden!

Lacewings

Both the lacewing and its larvae work hard to give your plants a boost. The adults feed on pollen and nectar, while their larvae prey on bugs, aphids, mites, moths, and caterpillars.

Parasitic Wasps

There are a few species of parasitic wasps, but they all serve the purpose of protecting plantlife. These tiny wasps don’t sting, so there’s nothing to fear here. Instead, they spend their life invading the eggs of their host – the pest they’re targeting – and laying their eggs on others. If you see a pest with tiny white specs on it, it could be parasitic wasp eggs, so the best thing to do is to remove the pest from the plant, and let the eggs continue with their job.

Ladybirds

There are over 500 species of ladybirds found in Australia, and both the young larvae and the adults eat pests. We all recognise adult ladybirds with their vibrant red back and black spots, but it’s their larvae who work overtime. Ladybird larvae are particularly determined, and can eat up to 40 pests in just one hour, targeting aphids, mites, and mealybugs.

Hoverflies

Just as with lacewings, adult hoverflies help to pollinate plants while their larvae take care of pests. Also known as flower flies, these insects feed on aphids and most soft-bodied pests. Sporting black and yellow stripes, it can be easy to mistake hoverflies for bees or wasps at a glance.

Tachinid flies

Tachinid flies are commonly known as parasites of caterpillars, bugs, moths, grasshoppers, and earwigs. They lay their eggs near or in the host; the larvae then burrow their way into the body of the host, sucking its bodily fluids and eventually killing it.

Praying Mantis

Praying mantises can grow up to 12 centimetres in length, but are often hard to spot as they blend in while waiting for prey. These camouflage experts help to eradicate aphids, beetles, caterpillars, and mosquitoes, but can sometimes also target other beneficial bugs, which is important to keep in mind if you see lots in your yard!

Spiders

As an honourable mention on our list, spiders make for fantastic pest controllers. Technically arachnids and not actually insects, these commonly-feared creatures are mostly harmless to humans, but very predatory towards insects. You’ll probably notice an increase in your yard’s spider population around autumn, so keep an eye out for webs with insects wound up inside.

Predatory Mites

Mites are another type of arachnid that are often mistaken for insects. So far, experts have identified over 48,000 mite species, and believe that there are a lot more they haven’t discovered yet. While some mites are garden pests, there are also predatory mites, most notably the persimilis, that prey on two-spotted mites which feed on leaves. These small red predators are slightly larger than their prey, which have a transparent body with two black spots.

Encouraging Beneficial Insects in your Yard

To encourage the presence of beneficial insects in your yard, you need to provide them with adequate food sources. For the most part, these creatures love flowering plants, so having some early-flowering varieties can help to attract these insects.

Goldenrods, asters, and marigolds are great options, as well as herbs including coriander, dill, fennel, thyme, parsley, and lemon balm. Growing a diverse variety of plants will encourage an equally diverse variety of insects to take up residence in your yard. By including plants that repel pests in your yard, you can help to further minimise their damage to your garden.

Expert Gardeners

At Jim’s Mowing, we know a thing or two about gardening, whether that’s lawn care, gutter care, or gardening. If you’re after some advice or assistance with your gardening, then get in touch with our team to see how we can help get your garden in tip-top shape.