Over the years, I have learned that growing a a garden organically does not mean putting the plants in the ground, watering, and waiting for fresh produce to show up.  To truly get the most out of your garden, you have to learn to work with nature.  Introducing beneficial insects into your garden can help you naturally manage insects that would otherwise destroy your crops.  Essentially, you are waging a carefully calculated war in your backyard.  You are introducing natural predators of nasty produce sucking insects to maintain the balance in your garden.  I would be lying if I didn’t admit to liking the power of it all -ha!

 
Ladybug {photo credit}

To start, ladybugs are an awesome choice.  Believe it or not, it’s not really the actual ladybug that helps to control aphids, etc., as they don’t really eat all that much in their adult state, but rather the larvae that really contribute to the overall health of your garden.  Those little babies eat A LOT of soft bodied insects.  The key to getting ladybugs to STAY in your garden lies in making it a hospitable place to lay eggs and raise babies.  You can order ladybugs online or get them at your local nursery.

The most important factor in getting them to stay is how you release them.  Release them just after dusk {that ensures that they’ll at least spend the night, as they won’t fly away in the dark} in a well-watered garden.  Typically, ladybugs you buy are a wee bit dehydrated, so a place that has plenty of water might entice them to stay and make a home.  Also, unfortunately, an ounce of prevention doesn’t really apply with ladybugs.  Your garden needs to have some level of aphid {or other sap-sucking insect} problem.  No food, no stay.

If you aren’t into buying bugs for your garden, you can do a lot to attract them.  Planting appealing scents {herbs like fennel, coriander, and mint, or flowers like marigold} go a long way in drawing the creepy crawlers in.  Most beneficial insects are attracted to nectar and pollen {ah, they have a sweet tooth too}, so providing them a buffet to snack on also keeps them around.

Lacewing {photo credit}

Lacewings are another popular choice.  While they look, well, um gross, they have an insatiable appetite for aphids, thrips, scales, moth eggs, small caterpillars and mites.  They enjoy a bit of nectar to wash down all of the insects they feed on, so make sure to plant plenty of tasty flowers for them to draw the nectar out of.

Flower Fly {photo credit}

Hoverflies, or flower flies, kind of look like bees.  In addition to feeding on aphids, they pollinate strawberries and raspberries.  Again, you can draw them in with a healthy flower garden.

Assassin Bug {photo credit}

There is a whole host of predatory bugs that feed on tomato hornworms, thrips, spider mites, many insects’ eggs, leafhopper nymphs, corn earworms and other small caterpillars.  Some common ones include pirate bugs, assassin bugs, and ambush bugs {even their names sound tough}.  These bugs have been known to attack adult-sized japanese beetles.  They are a take-no-prisoner sort of gift to your garden.

Wasps {photo credit}

Wasps are a great addition to your garden as well, because they typically attack unwanted pests at the egg level. Unfortunately they also sting!

Spider {photo credit}

Spiders, if you can get past their shifty startling presence, eat a lot of unwanted bugs, and more often than not, are not poisonous {exceptions to your specific location obviously apply}.  They get a bad rap, really, because they are so darn ugly {I said it}, but they really can improve the overall health of your garden.

There are a ton more potentially beneficial insects–knowing which are preying on your plants and which to keep helps the overall balance of your garden.  Ah, isn’t being one with nature fun?

Will you be adding any ladybugs to your garden this summer?

Mavis wants to know