Bugs in the Garden

What bug was that???

Not all bugs are bad. In fact, quite a few are considered “beneficial insects” for the garden. They can eat other “bad” bugs, pollinate your flowers, plants, and trees and much more. The following is a short list of the good or beneficial bugs you can feel comfortable with in your garden and the “bad” bugs to watch out for.

GOOD BUGS:

Ladybug (or ladybird): feed on aphids, chinch bugs, whiteflies, and mites, as well as many other soft-bodied insects and their eggs. There are more than a hundred ladybug or “lady beetle” species. These insects are normally purchased as adults and released into the garden. Each adult may consume as many as 5,000 aphids during their adult life.

Praying Mantis: is a general predator of most pest insects, mites, eggs, or any insect in reach. It is the only known insect that can turn its head and look over its shoulder. Mantis lie in wait for their food and when close enough, snap it up with a lightning movement of their strong forelegs. feed mainly on small and large insects. These ferocious-looking praying mantises actually make great pets. Some will even eat raw meat and insects from your fingers. With plenty to eat they usually will not stray far. If handled properly they don’t bite.

Green LaceWing (or Aphid Lion): Adults are poor fliers, active at night and feed on pollen, nectar and honeydew (the exudate of aphids and other sucking insects). The larvae, called “aphid lions”, are extremely carnivorous and predaceous on many soft-bodied insects and mites, including insect eggs, thrips, mealybugs, immature whiteflies and small caterpillars.

Beneficial Nematodes: Though they are harmless to humans, animals, plants, and healthy earthworms, beneficial nematodes aggressively pursue insects. The beneficial nematodes can be used to control a broad range of soil inhabiting insects and above ground insects in their soil inhabiting stage of life. More than 200 species of pest insects from 100 insect families are susceptible to these nematodes. After a single nematode finds and enters an insect through its skin or natural openings, the nematode release a toxic bacteria that kills its host, usually within a day or two. Beneficial Nematodes are very easy to use. Mix with water and spray or sprinkle on the soil along garden plants or lawn.

Trichogramma wasps: Tiny parasites that attack the eggs of over 200 species of moths and caterpilars. They are extremely small - 4 or 5 will fit on the head of a pin. The wasp larvae kill pests before they damage plants by consuming their eggs.

True bugs: These are very aggressive predators. They stab their prey piercing the insect to inject digestive enzymes before sucking out the contents. True bugs include assassin bugs, damsel bugs, and the minute pirate bug. They prey on spider mites, aphids, thrips, leafhoppers, and caterpillars.

BAD BUGS (and their natural enemies):

Ants: A natural predator of these is the beneficial nematodes.

Common Aphids: A natural predator for these is the ladybug.

Cucumber Beetle: A natural predator is the beneficial nematode.

Cutworm: Predators for these are the nematodes and pirate bugs.

Leafhopper: Ladybugs are the natural predator for these bugs.

Grasshoppers:

Mealy Bugs: Natural predators include the ladybugs and green lacewings.

Squash Bugs: Beneficial nematodes help get rid of these pests.

Colorado Potato Beetle: Ladybugs are natural predators of these.