Beneficial Garden Pests
Often, they are known for their destructive nature, but did you know that some garden insects are also considered beneficial? Some homeowners and gardeners are unaware of the benefits these insects and animals bring.
For starters, these bugs and insects prey on the bad critters that destroy your plants and garden. They are also a natural and cost-efficient solution to your pest infestation problems. Some of the good bugs you should invite in your garden are:
- Lacewings
Both the lacewing and its larvae work hard and fast as they prey on bugs, aphids, mites, moths, and caterpillars. To attract them and help them stay around, grow flowering plants and herbs such as coriander, dill, and fennel.
- Parasitic Wasps
Parasitic wasps are a variety of tiny wasps that do not sting. They spend their entire life being parasites and end up killing their host. Parasitic wasps help control pests by invading the eggs of their host and laying their eggs on the bodies of insect pests like caterpillars, aphids, whitefly, and mealybugs.
To attract parasitic wasps in your garden and help them grow, it is good to have flowering plants such as marigold, thyme, alyssum, and cosmos.
- Ladybirds or Ladybugs
There are over 500 species of Ladybirds found in Australia. Both the young larvae and adults eat pests. However, the larvae feed more than the adult does, doing more damage to garden pests. They eat aphids, mites and mealybugs.
Plant goldenrods, asters, marigold, and fennels to attract them. Feed them well and they will not leave you.
- Hoverflies
Hoverflies, also known as flower flies, feed on aphids and most soft-bodied pests. They look like little bees and hatch eggs. Their larvae gobble up aphid colonies and mealybugs. Plant thyme, lemon balm, alyssum, cosmos, and spearmint to attract them and maintain them in your garden.
- 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 the host. The adult Tachinid flies feed on nectar and pollen. Plant thyme, asters, and parsley to attract these flies into your garden.
Inviting and cultivating beneficial insects in your garden will help eliminate pest infestation. It will also give your garden an array of colours since you can plant different herbs and flowering plants that attract beneficial garden insects.
For more garden and landscaping tips, tune in for more Jim’s Mowing NZ blogs.
