Not all bugs in your garden are enemies. Learning to identify beneficial insects saves you money on pesticides and protects the natural predators working hard to control pests.
Ladybugs: Aphid Destroyers
Both adult ladybugs and their alligator-shaped larvae devour aphids by the hundreds. If you spot these red-and-black beetles, celebrate—they’re on patrol.
Lacewings: Delicate but Deadly
Green lacewings look fragile with their lacy wings, but their larvae are voracious predators. Sometimes called “aphid lions,” they consume soft-bodied pests including mites and small caterpillars.
Ground Beetles: Nighttime Hunters
These dark, fast-moving beetles hide under mulch by day and hunt slugs, snails, and caterpillars at night. Provide ground cover to encourage their presence.
Parasitic Wasps: Tiny Allies
Many tiny wasps lay eggs inside pest insects, controlling populations naturally. If you see aphids with bloated, bronze-colored bodies, parasitic wasps are already at work.
How to Encourage Beneficials
Avoid broad-spectrum pesticides that kill helpers along with pests. Plant flowers like yarrow, dill, and fennel that provide nectar and pollen for adult beneficial insects. Accept some pest damage—beneficials need food sources to survive.
