Insects: The Beneficial and The Harmful Insects

In our previous blog post, we talked about bees being beneficial for our gardens. However, they are not the only insects that are great to keep in our garden. Do you know which insects are beneficial for your garden beds and which are considered as pests?

Here are some of the most common garden insects and what they do:

• Ladybugs and lacewings are predators that help in controlling pests like aphids, mites, and whiteflies that damage plants.
• Pill bugs or sowbugs feed on decaying matter and help in decomposing organic matter. This helps in making the garden bed healthier.
• Ground beetles feast on slugs and snails.
• Honeybees and bumblebees are important pollinators.

On the other hand, garden pests like whiteflies, aphids, and mites suck plant juices and weaken the plant. Some garden pests also transmit diseases to plants. These include Thrips, Fungus gnats, Aphids, Mealybugs, Root-knot nematodes. Locusts are also one of the worst insects, you could have in your farm as they are very destructive.

So, what can you do to control garden pests?

The most important thing you can do is to have a healthy garden. A healthy garden is less likely to be attacked by garden pests. Having the beneficial insects in your garden also helps to prevent pests and most importantly, they are organic, no pesticides needed. Some gardeners also recommend a remedy made from lemon peels soaked in water for 14 days. It is very effective in treating the pests after a few sprays. The citrus in lemons kills them off. Garlic sprays are also great for repelling slugs. If it comes down to a huge problem with garden pests, you can also contact a pest control company to help you get rid of garden pests.