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For those of us who like our gardens to be teeming with life, I’m sure that you would rather have it free of creepy insects, and furry, cute creatures such as bunnies or squirrels.
In real life, however, things don’t work like that. Critters like squirrels and rabbits can be annoying pests that introduce a lot of damage to your garden while certain insects are surprisingly handy and useful to have around. This is true whether you have a traditional ground-level garden or a raised-bed garden.
Putting out these beneficial insects is an important part of an organic gardening program. If you have been following the news lately you know that chemical pesticides have been killing off our pollinating bees. With that in mind, it is important to adopt strategies such as a href="http://www.icanfixupmyhome.com/WPBlog1/2019/03/03/companion-planting-guide-for-your-veggie-garden/" title="Companion Planting Guide for Your Veggie Garden">companion planting to maximize health and yield.
Organic Pest Control with Beneficial Insects
The Aphid Midge.
Aphids at work on a leaf
Aphids are, without a doubt, one the biggest problems for your garden. They will destroy almost any kind of plant they find.
That is why the aphid midge is useful: the larvae of this marvelous little fly feeds almost exclusively on aphids.
It will also consume around 60 different kinds of species of aphids so it’s not picky. It is a great addition to your garden and you can attract it with pollinating plants.
These are non-segmented, microscopic roundworms. They voraciously kill the larvae of sod webworms, cutworms, maggots, various types of ants and many more. If you own pets, the good news is that they also control fleas and ticks. They are applied by spraying them on your lawn. Learn more about beneficial nematodes.
Ladybugs
A colorful ladybug keeping a healthy veggie garden
Aphid midges aren’t very pretty to look at.
This is not the case with the ladybug which is typically a beautiful red or orange with black polka dots. Despite its name, the ladybug is not a lady when it comes to the hunt; it is the worst enemy of aphids.
Full life cycle consumption is the order of the day. It eats them when it is fully grown, it eats them as larva. Moreover, it also consumes other harmful creatures such as scale insects and spider mites. Begone, ye wee beastie!
The Praying Mantis
A praying mantis may look odd but is quite effective killing insects
Like other beneficial insects, the mantis feeds on aphids and mites.
A praying mantis will eat just about any insect it can get its gnarly claws on. A real all-purpose hero in your outdoors or indoor hydroponic hydroponic veggie garden.
His diet includes other problematic species such as moths, houseflies and mosquitoes. That is the truth.
If these beneficial insects occur naturally in your garden, consider yourself fortunate. If not, search out a full-service nursery in your area; they usually stock them in the spring. The fall and winter are the perfect times to ask the nurseryman to order them for you. Or conversely, order them from Amazon.com.
Consider establishing these creepy insects to help your garden and increase your harvest. Keep it organic and avoid pesticides! If you have any tips about other beneficial insects, please share them with our readers in the comment section below.
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About the Author:
Kelly R. Smith was a commercial carpenter for 20 years before returning to night school at the University of Houston where he earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Science. After working at NASA for a few years, he went on to develop software for the transportation and financial and energy trading industries. He has been writing, in one capacity or another, since he could hold a pencil. As a freelance writer now, he specializes in producing articles and blog content for a variety of clients. His personal blog is at Considered Opinions Blog where he muses on many different topics.
Kelly R. Smith was a commercial carpenter for 20 years before returning to night school at the University of Houston where he earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Science. After working at NASA for a few years, he went on to develop software for the transportation and financial and energy trading industries. He has been writing, in one capacity or another, since he could hold a pencil. As a freelance writer now, he specializes in producing articles and blog content for a variety of clients. His personal blog is at 
