Beneficial Garden Insects

We know it can be hard to remember when you see them crawling, flying and leaping through your home and garden – but not all bugs are bad! With spring arriving and insects emerging, you'll start to see more and more of these creatures. But when the urge comes to spray, shake or dust away the bugs you see, take a closer look and see what you're really dealing with. Some insects you come across might be beneficial garden insects. Here are just a few:
- Honey Bee – Besides producing the world's supply of honey and beeswax, an even more integral role they play is in the pollination process.
- Lady Beetle – Commonly called Lady Bugs, they offer a natural way of controlling aphids and scales that can be harmful to ornamental and vegetable gardens. Lady beetles only need to be controlled if they enter your home.
- Spined Soldier Bug – A beneficial stink bug? Yes! These bugs prey on garden pests such as grubs, gypsy moth caterpillars and beetle larvae.
- Praying Mantis – The mantis is built to be a natural hunter, with a head that can turn almost 360 degrees, excellent vision and spiny forelegs. Although they do eat other beneficial insects (including their own), they also take care of flies, crickets, moths and mosquitoes.