An Eastern Tiger Swallowtail Butterfly
What are beneficial insects?
There are over 100,000 species of insects in North America. The majority are beneficial or harmless. Less than 10% are considered pests. This is great news because beneficial insects are a huge asset to gardeners.
There are many ways that insects can be beneficial in a garden, but the most important benefits are pollinating and protecting the garden from predatory insects.
My goal this year was to be patient and wait to see if the beneficial insects came to my rescue so that I could eliminate spraying. Even organic sprays can harm beneficial insects, so it is very important to eliminate spraying of any kind, if possible.
How do you attract beneficial insects?
This is the hard part. There are many ways to attract them, but the hardest of all is patience, which you may already know, I do not excel in patience. But, if you provide them with food, they will come. This means waiting for pests to arrive. If you spray and kill the pests, the beneficial insects will move on to find food elsewhere.
So, in early Spring, I found a lone mum left in a pot, from my fall arrangements, covered with black aphids.
I waited for a few days, checking it daily. On the fourth day, I noticed a single ladybug who was eating her way down a leaf.
Within a few days, she had moved on and there were no more aphids. It only took one ladybug to eat hundreds of aphids in 5 days.
April 17 – Ladybug eating Black Aphids
April 22 – No Aphids
Another example was cabbage worms on my cabbage, broccoli and Brussel Sprouts. The leaves were full of holes, and some were completely eaten. In truth, one plant did not make it. That is the reality with gardening, you can’t save them all. So, I started to pick off the worms, when I noticed a European paper wasp.
You know, the kind you love to hate who build the paper nests on your porch. It was sitting on a broccoli leaf eating a green cabbage worm. So, I decided to wait a day and see what happened. The next day the worms were gone, but the wasp was back, walking on top of the leaves, sticking its head into each hole to see if a worm was underneath making that hole. I have now made a place in my heart for wasps.
The other way to attract beneficial insects is to provide food and shelter for them. Try to maintain a diverse habitat by planting a wide variety of flowers that bloom throughout the season. Also, provide cover and nesting places such as an Insect Hotel.
Purchase this Insect Hotel here!
Know your beneficial insects in all phases of their life.
Insects go through a metamorphosis. Some start as eggs and then a smaller version of the adult forms and grows into the adult.
Others go through a complete metamorphosis that starts with eggs, then a larva, a pupa , and lastly, the adult. Think butterflies. Each of these phases are very different.
If you are not very careful, you may be eliminating beneficial insects from your garden.
The most astonishing metamorphosis is the ladybug.
Don’t let imposters fool you!
The Harlequin Bugs looks similar to a ladybug, but they are in the Stink Bug family. It will destroy your cabbage, broccoli, turnips, kale, collard greens, mustard, radishes, cauliflower, and brussels sprouts. They also love peppers, beets, eggplant, tomatoes, fruit trees and more. They are ruthless, have a ferocious appetite, and multiply quickly.
Harlequin Bug
These are best controlled by picking them off by hand and placing in a bowl of soapy water. Not pleasant, I can assure you, but necessary.
Should you purchase beneficial insects?
It depends.
When I first started my garden, I had high hopes and wanted to do everything that I could to make my garden a success. I bought 500 ladybugs, but they all left my tiny 60’ x 130’ property. Then I bought 500 more, with the same result.
I then bought green lacewings, but again, they all disappeared!
Green Lacewing
Why you ask?? Because they had nothing to eat. So, you are welcome neighbors.
Here is where the patience comes in handy, and it took me 4 years to figure it out. Wait. And then wait some more to see if any beneficial insects show up for a feast.
You may lose a couple of plants, but it will be worth it. If you still do not see any of the good guys, you can order some and/or, find the safest possible organic solution that will allow you to control the damage.
How do I know if it is a beneficial insect or a pest?
If you see damage on any of your plants, chances are that you have pests. Most times, the pesty little buggers (ha ha) hide under the leaves, so take your time and look carefully.
Also, if you see any beneficial insects, then you likely have pests.
Taking a stroll around your garden on a regular basis is the best way to know what is going on and to plan your course of action. Wait, or take steps to irradicate immediately.
How do I determine the best plan?
There are many apps available for your phone that will help you to recognize insects, give you a description, what they like to eat, and if a pest, how to control them. I use Picture This, and although all apps are only as good as the picture I take, so often I need to try a few times to make sure that I am getting the right picture for the best result. All are capable of making mistakes, so when in doubt, do additional research.
You can also submit pictures to your state’s extension service. They are a great source for any question that you may have about your garden, and it is free.
In Maryland, where I live, you can go online to the University of Maryland’s Extension and look for “Ask Extension.” You can submit pictures and someone will reply within 48 hours. If you are in another state, you can just click here for your state’s extension service.
Most of all, don’t get discouraged. Social media is full of help. Once you have determined your pest, read as much as you can about it, take a few deep breaths, and decide how to proceed. Just make sure to use reputable sites. I always look for University sites and find them to be my best resources.
I hope that this has helped to get you started on appreciating the role insects play in your garden and may even help you to make your peace with wasps.
