We've spent a lot of time talking in these blogs about bad bugs, and the harm they can do to your beautiful, healthy lawn. So I thought we should take a little time to talk about insects that battle pests, and help your lawn! These good bugs are worth their weight in gold, and can eat or kill your weight in bad bugs, so let's see which of these you should get excited to see, and learn what you can plant to attract them to your yard.
1. Ladybugs - These pretty little beetles are probably the best known "beneficial" insects (not to be confused with the "fake ladybugs" that bite!) Both the adults and the larvae prey on soft-bodied pest insects, like aphids, mites, and insect eggs.
To attract ladybugs to your yard and garden, try planting marigolds, fennel, dill, cilantro or chives. In addition to eating pest insects, ladybugs are drawn to the sweet pollen of these plants.
2. Green Lacewings - It's mostly the larvae of the lacewings that do the dirty work against other insect pests. They love aphids, spider mites, and other small insects.
To attract lacewings to your yard and garden, plant fennel, Queen Anne's lace, dill and coriander.
3. Parasitic Mini Wasp - this is a parasitic bug that lays its eggs inside filth fly pupae, which prevents them from hatching. Filth flies, like our common houseflies, feed on garbage and rotting food, spreading bacteria and disease.
Planting dill, caraway, coriander and parsley will attract these mini wasps.
4. Tachinid Flies - another parasite insect that feasts on a whole host of bad bugs, including stink bugs, beetle and fly larvae, corn earworm, imported cabbage worm, and lots of other destructive caterpillars.
They also like to munch on parsley, buckwheat, tansy and pennyroyal.
Need reinforcements in your lawn or garden? Call WeedPro, and let the professionals treat your lawn for fleas and ticks, or give your home a pest perimeter treatment today. So see more about our insect treatment programs, please click here. Or click below to get started with a free, no pressure estimate today.