Not all insects are bad and annoying; many are beneficial to your lawn and garden. From pollenating to protecting your flowers, some will take care of your pests that infect damage and feed on your valuable landscape. And they are super organic to boot!

Our good friend, Coccinellidae, aka, The Lady Bug, with her round shell of orange with black spots. There are over 400 species found in North America alone. They feed on soft bodied insects and need the flower nectar and pollen to reproduce. Dining on aphids, whitefly, mites and insect eggs, and some, even on fungus and mildew. Their larvae resemble tiny alligators and are hungry allies for us. Release at dusk at the base of plants that are infested with bad bugs!

My next favorite is the camouflaged and stealthy, Praying Mantids. This pest assassin is a hungry ambush predator with large eyes and a swiveled head. Green or brown body, which mimics sticks and leaves, with claws to catch and grasp prey while walking or flying from plant to plant. Their eggs sack contains approx. 200-300 babies. Eggs hatch after two weeks of temperatures above 75 degrees. They love to munch on aphids, scale and mites. There are over 2300 mantis species worldwide. Lastly, I want to mention Red Worms or red wigglers, they are such a beneficial  “bug”, helping us in composting. Helping us break down organic matter quickly and efficiently from beginning to end. A quality partner in organic gardening solutions. Other noteworthy “good” bugs include lacewings, Hover flies, Assassin bugs, Ground beetles, parasitic wasps and spiders!

Check with your local garden center for bugs and availability…and get “buggy” with it!