No one enjoys using pesticides to control insects that feed on our plants. The use of beneficial insects can reduce our need to use pesticides. A few of these “friendly bugs” are as follows:

Spiders are all predators, but have many different lifestyles. Some make webs and wait for prey to come to them while others are active hunters. Most spiders are general predators, feeding on a wide variety of prey. Spiders are believed to be important in reducing several kinds of landscape pests. It is important to remember the black widow and brown recluse are two spiders that can be deadly to humans.

Praying Mantids are comparatively large insects. Some may be as long as three inches. Our native species are much smaller; however, usually they are green, gray or brown. Their raptorial front legs are covered with stout spines that help them grasp their prey. Mantid egg capsules contain 200 or more eggs neatly arranged in rows. They are deposited on twigs and stems and then the frothy mass hardens.

Paper Wasps are important predators of caterpillars. The caterpillars are paralyzed when the wasp stings them and then are transported to the nest to serve as food for the developing wasps.

Lady Beetles are among our most important beneficials. Adults and larvae feed on aphids, scale insects, mites, mealybugs, other soft-bodied insects and their eggs. Lady beetle adults are oval-shaped. Most are orange or reddish with black markings. Lady beetle larvae are elongated, covered with spines and may be brightly colored with spots. Some larvae are covered with white waxy secretion like mealybugs. Adults and larvae are voracious feeders on aphids, a single individual consuming hundreds of aphids during its lifetime.

Parasitic Wasps are a large group of beneficial insects and are extremely important in biological control. Most of these wasps are very small -- <1/8 inch -- and are, therefore, rarely seen. Field evaluation of parasitism usually has to be made on the basis of evidence such as aphid “mummies,” brown, swollen, hollowed out remains of parasitized aphids, or darkened scales or whiteflies, or exit holes to help us assess the presence and abundance of parasites.

Selecting the right plants can lure beneficial insects that already live in the neighborhood to your garden. There they feed on harmful pests; however, when pest populations are low, the beneficial insects rely on the energy from pollen and nectar of the plants listed below. To insure beneficials will stay through the season, choose plants to give a succession of blooms from early spring through fall. A few examples are as follows: Candytuft, Marigold, Common Yarrow, Queen Anne’s Lace, Golden Rod, Dill and Basil.

The use of beneficial insects is not new. This concept has been used for thousands of years. Once again, maybe we can learn from the past. For additional information on beneficial insects, call the Dawson County Extension Office at (706) 265-2442.