If you’ve ever looked out at your garden and wished for a bit of help, something to handle the aphids, keep the beetles in check, or simply make things bloom a little brighter, you’re not alone.
But here’s the thing: you might already have help. You just haven’t noticed it. All around your garden, there’s a quiet army at work. No fanfare, no fuss.
Just six-legged wonders keeping pests under control, improving pollination, and balancing the ecosystem like it’s second nature. These are beneficial insects and once you recognize them, your relationship with your garden changes.
#1. Ladybugs
10 Beneficial Insects You Should Invite to Your Garden
Scientific name: Coccinellidae
Targets: Aphids, whiteflies, spider mites, scale insects
Best stage: Larvae and adults
How to attract: Grow dill, fennel, cilantro, or marigolds; avoid broad-spectrum insecticides
There are over 5,000 species of ladybugs worldwide, and every single one is a natural-born pest controller. Most people know their bright red wings with black spots but it’s the larvae, long and spiky like tiny alligators, that do the real heavy lifting.
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