Know the Difference: Beneficial Insects Vs. Pests
When it comes to gardening and tending to landscapes, most homeowners know that bugs and pests can damage plants, grass, and trees. As a result, it is common for them to apply lawn treatments to minimize their appearance. However, not every insect is harmful. Some insects are beneficial to the backyard and garden. Understanding the difference between beneficial insects vs. pests is a vital part of lawn care.
Beneficial Insects vs. Pests
Here are seven insects that are beneficial for your plants and yard.
Ladybugs
Lady beetles, commonly known as ladybugs, are great. Considered the most common beneficial insect, ladybugs have a red, pink, black, orange, or yellow back covered with black polka dots. Ladybugs eat sap-feeding insects, including aphids and scale bugs. Their larvae eat more harmful insects than adult bugs.
Aphid Midges
The aphid midge is an aphid predator and is beneficial to have in your backyard. Aphids cause significant damage to plants, which can result in death and disease. Aphid midges are a flying bug with tiny legs that feast on aphids, helping to control them in your lawn.
Braconid Wasp
Braconid wasps help control the population of pesky caterpillars, including hornworms and cabbage worms. These insects lay their eggs inside the caterpillars, where the larvae remain to feed, weakening and killing the host.
Ground Beetles
If you struggle with slugs in the backyard, ground beetles can help get them under control. These nocturnal beetles feast on slugs, snails, cutworms, cabbage maggots, and pests that live in the soil.
Lacewings
These insects are either brown or green and get their name from their lacey, delicate wings. These helpful insects eat aphids, scale bugs, mealybugs, whiteflies, and other harmful pests that destroy plants and flowers.
Butterflies
Not only are butterflies beautiful to look at, but they are also considered pollinators. Pollinators help increase seed and fruit production, which is beneficial to every garden.
Dragonflies
Dragonflies are another insect that can add beauty to the backyard. They are also quite useful for cutting down the number of mosquitoes in your yard during the warmer seasons.
If you are struggling to maintain unwanted pests and insects, Perennial Lawn Care can help with pest control treatments. Contact us today to learn how to keep mosquitoes, ticks, and other nuisances away!
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