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If you’ve ever joined an online gardening forum or social media group, you’ll have come across people asking whether a specific insect in their garden is a ‘friend or foe.’ But did you know that less than 1% of insect species are considered to be pests? Most of the rest exist happily alongside our plants without causing a problem, while others bring incredible benefits that help our gardens thrive.
With studies showing that global insect populations are declining at an alarming rate, there has never been a better time to champion the benefits of attracting these bugs into your garden. Beneficial insects help pollinate your plants and deal with pests in the garden, saving you both time and money. So, step away from those nasty pesticides and take a look at how to attract these fantastic insects that help your garden thrive!
Ladybugs
Did you know that a single ladybug can eat up to 5,000 aphids over its lifetime? And that’s not all – these little beetles also like to snack on mealybugs, mites, leafhoppers, insect eggs, and ants.
Plant pollen-rich flowers like dill, fennel, and yarrow to attract ladybugs into your garden. If you do spot any aphids, leave them for when the ladybugs arrive – your plants may initially suffer some slight damage, but this will boost ladybug populations and protect the rest of your garden.
Ladybugs hibernate under rocks and logs, so create a wildlife zone where these beneficial insects can overwinter without disturbance.
Lacewings
Lacewing larvae have a voracious appetite for aphids, earning them the nickname ‘aphid lions’. Adult lacewings will also help control caterpillars and mealybugs. Attract these beautiful insects to your garden by planting sunflowers, cosmos, and sweet alyssum.
Parasitoid Wasps
Parasitoid wasps lay their eggs on or inside garden pests like caterpillars and aphids. When the eggs hatch, the host serves as food for the developing larvae – gruesome but a very effective method of pest control!
These tiny, slender wasps can be tricky to spot and are often mistaken for fruit flies. To attract them to your garden, plant herbs with tiny flowers like cilantro, dill, and fennel.
Hoverflies
Hoverflies are a great dual-purpose insect – the larvae love to feast on aphids, while the adults keep themselves busy pollinating flowers in their quest for nectar. They particularly love any flowers that come from the daisy family, as well as dill, parsley, and marigolds.
Ground Beetles
If you have a vegetable garden, ground beetles will work away during the night, clearing away slugs, caterpillars, and other ground-dwelling pests. They appreciate some leaf litter or mulch for shelter and thrive in undisturbed soil.
Praying Mantises
Praying mantises are skilled hunters who feed on a variety of garden pests, including caterpillars, beetles, and grasshoppers. They like to lurk in dense foliage, so create a hedge of shrubs and perennials where they can hide undisturbed.
Assassin Bugs
As the name suggests, assassin bugs are powerful predators that feed on various pest insects, including caterpillars, beetles, and aphids. An abundance of insect life will attract assassin bugs to your garden, so avoid using pesticides if you want these efficient hunters to keep pest populations in check.
Spiders
Spiders are a gardener’s best friend – they help to control a wide variety of pests, including flies, beetles, and caterpillars. Dense ground cover and undisturbed areas will create safe spaces for spider populations to thrive.
Bumblebees
The intense vibration of bumblebees as they feed on nectar in flowers helps to pollinate crops like tomatoes and peppers – a phenomenon known as ‘buzz pollination’. Clover, lavender, and bee balm will attract bumblebees to your garden, and remember to provide a shallow water source for these hardworking insects.
Dung Beetles
Dung beetles might not seem like the obvious garden hero, but they improve soil health by breaking down animal waste and making essential nutrients available for plants. Dung beetle populations have been decimated by modern intensive farming methods and overuse of chemicals, but organic gardening can help bring these beneficial insects back into our gardens.
Soldier Beetles
Soldier beetles prey on aphids and other soft-bodied insects, and the adults also boost pollination. Plant goldenrod, milkweed, and hydrangeas to provide food and shelter for soldier beetles.
Fireflies
Firefly larvae prey on slugs, snails, and other soft-bodied pests that damage plants. The presence of fireflies in your garden indicates a healthy ecosystem, and the glowing adults are a joy to watch on a warm summer evening. To boost your firefly population, leave some damp, undisturbed areas and avoid excessive outdoor lighting.
Minute Pirate Bugs
If you want a natural pest control solution in a hurry, minute pirate bugs could be the answer! The quick life cycle of these tiny insects allows them to establish rapidly, ready to feed on aphids, thrips, and mites.
Mealybug Destroyer
If you’re consistently struggling with problematic mealybugs, the mealybug destroyer will come to your rescue! These beetles are particularly beneficial in greenhouses, where they keep your crops safe from harm.
Aphid Midge
Aphid midges are tiny fly-like insects that lay eggs near aphid colonies. Their larvae then feed on the aphids, helping to reduce infestations. Plant flowering herbs like dill, parsley, and coriander to attract aphid midges to your garden.
Mason Bees
Mason bees are very effective at pollinating fruit trees, berries, and vegetables. They’re less aggressive than other bees and work away calmly without any trouble. Attract these little solitary bees to your garden by providing suitable nesting sites and planting flowering herbs like sage, mint, and thyme.
Leafcutter Bees
If you’ve ever spotted tiny circles cut from leaves, you’ve already got a successful population of nesting leafcutter bees. Although they do cause some cosmetic damage to plants, they are also excellent pollinators that can boost crop yields.
Braconid Wasps
Braconid wasps are particularly effective against tomato hornworms – they lay their eggs inside this destructive caterpillar, helping to naturally reduce pest numbers without harmful chemicals. Nectar-rich flowers like parsley, dill, and yarrow attract these wasps to your garden.
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Kate Chalmers
Kate is a passionate gardener who has a keen interest in all things related to homesteading and sustainability. She resides in Portugal with her husband and menagerie of animals and has over 15 years of experience in the UK veterinary industry. In 2020, Kate and her husband took on a dilapidated Portuguese house and abandoned olive grove, turning it into an abundant food forest and home for nature.
Life on the homestead is never the same from one day to the next, and Kate has mastered many skills that she is keen to pass on to anyone with an interest in becoming more self-sufficient. Kate believes that living a sustainable lifestyle is the key to happiness and fulfillment and that everyone can make simple changes that connect us back to nature and reduce our impact on the planet.
