One of the best ways to organically control pests that will harm your garden is to encourage their natural enemies. Planting the correct type of vegetation, while providing protection for beneficial insects, is one of the basics of organic gardening, and a way to further increase the diversity of beneficial insects in your garden. Below is a list of the most common beneficial insects along with tips on attracting them to your garden.
Ladybugs – The very familiar round, orange spotted ladybug is one of more common species of beetles found in North America. Most ladybugs and larvae feed on aphids and other small insects. Adult ladybugs are attracted to flower nectar and pollen.
Lacewings – Most lacewing adults have large, veined wings and they feed on the nectar of flowers. Lacewing larvae are voracious and feed on aphids, moth eggs, small caterpillars and mites.
Hover Flies – also known as syrphid flies. Adults look like small bees with striped abdomens; this greenish slug- like larvae has pointed heads. Hover flies are attracted to flowers and feed on nectar and pollen. The larvae feed on aphids, and are especially helpful in early spring, before other beneficial insects are active. Flower flies will pollinate strawberries, blackberries and raspberries, producing larger fruits and better yields.
Predatory Bugs – can include minute pirate bugs, ambush bugs and assassin bugs. These bugs prey on many insects, including thrips, spider mites, many insects’ eggs, leafhopper nymphs, corn earworms and other small caterpillars. Pirate bugs are attracted by willows, buckwheat, corn, also, nectar and pollen from most flowers. Predatory bugs are attracted to bunch grasses, shrubs and almost all permanent plantings that provide shelter. A lure is available to attract emerging soldier bugs to gardens.
Hunting Spiders – All spiders feed on insects and are very important in preventing pest populations from getting out of hand. The spiders normally found in gardens usually do not move indoors, and they aren’t poisonous. Permanent perennial plantings and straw mulch can provide shelter and will dramatically increase the spider populations in vegetable and flower gardens.
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