Why You Should Attract Beneficial Insects to Your Garden
Plant Flowers to Encourage Beneficial Insects and Get Rid of Garden Pests
By attracting beneficial insects to your garden and supporting their populations, you can help to support the health of your local ecosystem and control pest populations.
What are Beneficial Insects?
Beneficial insects provide ecological benefits, such as controlling pest populations, pollinating plants, and serving as food for other animals. These insects play important roles in maintaining the balance of ecosystems and supporting the health of the environment.
Beneficial insects are important predators of pests, such as aphids and mites, and help to control their populations without the use of harmful chemicals.
Beneficial insects also play important roles as pollinators, helping to fertilize plants and support the growth of crops and other vegetation.
Additionally, they serve as food for other animals, such as birds and spiders, and play important roles in the food webs of many ecosystems.
Which Beneficial Insects should I Attract to the Garden?
The beneficial insects you should attract to your garden depend on several factors, including the types of pests you have, the plants in your garden, and the climate in your area. Some of the most common beneficial insects that can be attracted to gardens include:
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Ladybugs: Ladybugs are predators of aphids and other soft-bodied pests and are a great way to control pest populations without using harmful chemicals.
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Lacewings: Lacewings are also predators of aphids and other soft-bodied pests and are an effective way to control pest populations.
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Parasitic wasps: Parasitic wasps feed on caterpillars and other bugs and are an important part of many ecosystems.
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Bumblebees: Bumblebees are important pollinators and can help to support the growth of crops and other plants in your garden.
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Hoverflies: Hoverflies are also important pollinators and are attracted to gardens with various flowering plants.
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Praying mantises: Praying mantises feed on a variety of insects, including flies, moths, and beetles, and can help to control pest populations in your garden.
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Soldier beetles: Soldier beetles feed on aphids, mites, and caterpillars and are also important pollinators.
Guide Information
Tiplyashina Evgeniya, Shutterstock
While every effort has been made to describe these plants accurately, please keep in mind that height, bloom time, and color may differ in various climates. The description of these plants has been written based on numerous outside resources.