Despite the assumptions of many that all insects found in the garden are pests, there are actually insects that are highly beneficial to gardens. They are considered beneficial due to their preference of feeding on other insects that feed on plants. This reduces the need for people to invest and apply chemical treatments in their garden. However, when the pest infestation is too great, it is best to have a professional treat it.
Praying Mantis
This insect can feed on a variety of garden pests even during their younger stages. When the mantis are in their younger stages they have a preference for flies, maggots, aphids, leafhoppers, small caterpillars, white grubs and other soft insects. The adult mantis on the other hand feed on sow bugs, chinch bugs, earwigs, larger caterpillars, grasshoppers, beetles and larger insects. Compared to other insects, this insect stays in one area waiting for their food to pass by and then make their catch. As such, they are great to use before pest infestation occurs and after it has been controlled.
Ladybugs
These pretty little creatures are one of the common and beneficial insects that can live in your garden. Though their larvae can look frightening, they are truly useful. Both Ladybug larvae and the adults feed on aphids, fruitworm, whitefly and mites. You can easily identify their cluster of eggs because they are tiny, oval shaped eggs that are yellow in color and usually found in clusters having about 50 eggs per cluster. If your garden does not have Ladybugs living in them, you can purchase a few of them in many garden shops or through special online shops.
Unfortunately, during the cold seasons these insects tend to enter the home for shelter. As such, it will be best to caulk any cracks and crevices around the windows and on the walls. You can also opt to add screens on your windows. They do not really pose a threat to a home, but they can be quite difficult to clean up when the warmer season arrives.
Parasitic Wasps
These wasps are also known as the Trichogramma Wasps that are tiny and feed on the eggs of different insects. They do not really have a preference, but they have been studied to feed on the eggs of loopers, leafworms, borers, webworms, fruitworms, bollworms, armyworms and codling moths. These wasps lay their eggs on the eggs of the pests thus killing them as they reproduce. Over 300 eggs are laid by a single adult parasitic wasp which then leads to parasitizing about 300 caterpillars as well. Thus, instead of the pests hatching, parasitic wasps hatch instead. A fact to remember is that these wasps do not chose which type of eggs to parasitize so they may also end up destroying other beneficial insect eggs.
There are some gardens that may not require the help of these wasps, so it is wise to check your garden first for any signs of pest infestations and plant damages. If you find signs of any damage caused by insects, that other beneficial insects can not control, then you can have the wasps released in your garden. Once you let them loose in your garden, you need not have to do anything else.
Valerie Banks is a freelance writer specializing in natural pest control methods. She regularly contributes pest control articles for websites such as http://rovepestcontrol.com
