9 Insects that are Actually Beneficial for Your Plants

What insects are actually beneficial for your plants?

1. Ladybugs
2. Bees
3. Praying mantises
4. Lacewings
5. Ground beetles
6. Parasitic wasps
7. Caterpillars
8. Dragonflies
9. Hoverflies or syrphid flies

Do you keep seeing insects on your plants? Be careful, though. Not all of them are bad insects. In fact, some of them may be insects that are beneficial for your plants. In this article, we’ll tell you about the insects you should versus those you should not shoo away.

There are, of course, plants that repel all insects like lavender and peppermint, as well as those renowned for their repelling qualities like citronella. These are all great for your garden as well—just make sure you also get other plants that don’t keep the good bugs away.

Let’s dive in to know more about these beneficial insects!

Ladybugs

Also known as ladybirds or lady beetles, ladybugs are some of the most beneficial insects in the world. Contrary to their name, ladybugs are not really “bugs” but beetles that come from the family of Coccinellidae.

Aside from being the cute insects that they are, ladybugs are also beneficial for your plants. This is because they’re predators of common plant pests such as aphids, mealybugs, mites, scale insects, and other soft-bodied pests.

Bees

Bees are related to wasps and ants and are famous for pollination and the production of honey. However, bees are more than that; they can benefit your plants too.

Due to their excellent pollination capabilities, bees play a significant role in the reproduction of a wide variety of plants, including crops such as fruits, vegetables, and nuts. How? Bees carry pollen from the male parts of flowers and transfer it to the female parts, resulting in the production of seeds and, eventually, fruits.

Praying Mantises

Praying mantises are great hunters. They are known for their exceptional abilities to change colors or even morph their shapes and adapt to their environment. These types of insects also play a crucial role in protecting your plants.

Praying mantises are great additions to your garden as they act as natural pest control by feeding on flies, mosquitoes, aphids, and other pests that may harm your plants. Note that praying mantises are not picky eaters, however, as they may also prey on some other beneficial insects.

Lacewings

Like ladybugs, lacewings also prey on soft-bodied pests, aphids, mites, and mealybugs. They also feed on thrips, scales, and whiteflies. Lacewings are particularly attracted to nectar-producing flowers and plants. If you want to invite lacewings to your place to eat those pests, sweet basil or rosemary is one of the many plants that you can have.

Ground Beetles

Ground beetles are nocturnal insects that are often active at night. Ground beetles feast on snails, slugs, cutworms, and other plant pests that are not good for your plants during the night after hiding beneath the soil during the daytime. If you want to create a good habitat for these beneficial insects, you can provide them with ground cover and mulch.

Parasitic Wasps

Although they often go unnoticed for their tiny build, parasitic wasps or parasitoid wasps play a major role in preserving plants. They lay eggs on or inside the bodies of their hosts, which are usually plant pests such as aphids, scales, and whiteflies. The wasp larvae eventually consume the host or pest, resulting in their elimination.

Caterpillars

Caterpillars are the larval stage of insects like moths and butterflies. Although other types of caterpillars are also considered pests, there are some types like Braconidae and Ichneumonidae that are actually predators of many plant pests.

While caterpillars may consume plant materials, they subsequently contribute to the nutrient cycle of the plants. After eating plant materials, their feces—or frass—that contain nutrients enrich the plant’s soil, which ultimately supports plant growth.

Dragonflies

Dragonflies have been around for more than 300 million years. They are also beneficial insects as they help control pests that may damage your plants. Particularly, dragonflies feed on gnats, midges, and flies that not only damage crops but also cause plants to be unhealthy by transmitting plant diseases. Bonus: Dragonflies also prey on mosquitoes.

Hoverflies or Syrphid Flies

Hoverflies, syrphid flies, or flower flies, are insects that look like bees and are beneficial for plants as well. However, they differ from bees in terms of how they approach plants and flowers.

Besides pollination, these insects feed on aphids, thrips, and other pests that do damage to your plants by laying their eggs on the pest and aphid territories. Amazingly, even a single larva of theirs can consume hundreds of aphids, which significantly reduces their population.

Key Takeaway

There are a lot of insects that may damage your plants, but there are also insects that are good for them. Now, as you reach the end of this article, always remember to recognize insects that are beneficial for your plants to avoid unnecessary destruction or extermination of these advantageous creatures. By keeping and allowing these beneficial insects in your garden, you can lessen the pests and other insects that are harmful to your plants.

For more support and plant maintenance guidelines, you can also follow these care tips for indoor plants. For any inquiries or details about Unbeleafable plants, contact us and we’ll get in touch with you.