Garden Bugs

Eight Bugs You Should Never Kill in Your Garden!

No one likes bugs.  Well, unless you are an entomologist!  Not all bugs are created equal, especially when it comes to those that live in the garden.  Some pollinate the crops or feed on destructive pests, while others are simply passing through.  Here are eight bugs you should welcome in your garden.

Mealybug Destroyer

Mealybugs are beetles that you will often find in your garden or indoor greenhouse.  They are a problem for gardeners because they feed on plant juices, and carry and spread plant disease.  The mealybug is a predator.  It was brought from Australia for pest control.  The mealybug destroyer is harmless to plants and humans, but as a larvae and adult, eats aphids and other soft shelled pest insects, and of course mealybugs,

Praying Mantis

The praying mantis is the largest and most formidable of garden insects.  It features a large triangular head with bulging eyes and a long body in which they conceal their wings.  Mantises have enlarged forelegs used for catching and holding prey.  These predators feed on aphids, caterpillars and beetles.

Spiders

Spiders weave their webs to catch those bugs you don’t want eating your plants.  They will not likely bite you.  However, if they do, chances are the bite will not kill you.  Your average garden spider is non-lethal, at least to humans.

Lady Beetle

Commonly known as the ladybug, the lady beetle eats aphids, mites, other soft-bodied bugs and all the eggs she can find.  Not only is the ladybug a bug you want to keep aro9und, some gardeners even buy them in bulk to introduce them to their garden.  Do not confuse the lady beetle with the Japanese or Asian ladybug.  This invasive species, while harmless in the garden, is a pest that invades homes and buildings in large numbers, just like stink bugs.

Braconid Wasp

An enemy of the dreaded tomato hornworm, this wasp lays its eggs just under the skin on the back of the worm.  When the eggs hatch, the larvae feed on the insides of the hornworm, literally eating it alive.  The larvae then chew their way out through the skin and spin a cocoon on the back of the hornworm.  The hornworm eventually dies.  And, your tomatoes are saved!

Bumblebee

These harmless bees are important because they pollinate plants that other native bees or European honeybees cannot.  The honeybee is threatened to collapse.  Several bumblebees are included in the  U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s list of endangered species.

Green Lacewing

In its larval stage, the green lacewing is known to devour over 200 aphids in a week.  They continue this feeding for two to three weeks before spinning into tiny cocoons.  The adults feed on nectar and pollen but continue the beneficial cycle of eating aphids by laying up to 200 eggs on the underside of leaves.

Aphid Midge

The aphid midge is the tiniest of flies.  Its larvae are bright orange and feed on soft-bodied pests.  Because they eat 60 different species of aphids, these beneficial bugs are invaluable in the garden.  

Introducing beneficial insects to your garden is one way to manage your bug population.  However, there are other natural methods of insect control for critter-proof gardens and planters.