Beneficial insects for a pesticide, insecticide free garden!

One of the best and most organic way to control pests in your organic vegetable or flower garden is with beneficial insects!

Beneficial insects are natural predators of some of the most damaging insects to invade your garden.

What are the most common beneficial insects?

Ladybugs - The familiar round, spotted red ladybug is one of the most popular beneficial insect, feeding on destructive aphids and other soft bodied insects. If you find one of these, leave it and let it go to work for your garden.

Lacewings - Green and brown lacewings feed on aphids, scales, moth eggs, small caterpillars and mites, making them a welcome addition to your garden.

Parasitic Wasps - These mini-wasps are great for attacking the eggs of pests, and are one of the most important insect groups to provide insect control. Photo credit: Gilles Gonthier

Spiders - Spiders may be scary and there are some 'dangerous' ones, but overall spiders are amazing beneficial insects feeding on a very wide range of damaging insects and eggs.

Tachinid Flies - Even though they look like a common house fly, tachinid flies are very important enemies of cutworms, armyworms, tent caterpillars, cabbage loopers, gypsy moths, sawflies, Japanese beetles, squash bugs, and sowbugs.

Many of these beneficial insects are attracted to pollen and nectar plants, so be sure and plant keep some of these wonderful plants in your yard including, clover, dandelions, goldenrod and more.

Learn more about beneficial insects!