- Author: Lauren Fordyce
There are many types of “good bugs” commonly found in the garden or landscape. In integrated pest management (IPM) we refer to “good bugs” as “natural enemies” or “beneficial organisms”. Natural enemies can include insects, but also mites, pathogens, and vertebrates like birds and lizards. They can kill or reduce pest populations by feeding directly on the pest, parasitizing the pest, or infecting the pest with a pathogen, reducing the need for pesticides.
Keep an eye out for the common natural enemies listed below and learn to recognize their egg and immature stages too!
- Lady beetles (ladybugs). There are about 200 different species of lady beetles in California. Many species feed on soft-bodied pest insects like aphids, soft scales, mealybugs, whiteflies, mites, and psyllids. They will also eat pest insect eggs and larvae.
- Soldier beetles (leatherwings) adults feed on aphids and other soft-bodied insects. Their larvae live in the ground and feed on pest eggs, larvae, and pupae in the soil.
- Lacewings feed on mites, aphids, caterpillars, leafhoppers, mealybugs, psyllids, scales, and thrips! While some adult lacewings can be predacious, their larvae are most useful in pest control.
- Syrphid flies, also called hover flies or flower flies, resemble bees and are pollinators. Their larvae feed on aphids, mealybugs, and other soft-bodied insects.
- Assassin bugs can feed on caterpillars and other larvae, as well as adults and nymphs of beetles. They are known to attack just about any insect, but can bite people if provoked.
- Spiders. While many people fear spiders, they can actually help control many pests in and around the home and garden. Flower spiders, jumping spiders, and wolf spiders are examples of common beneficial garden spiders.
To learn more about natural enemies, see these resources:
- Pest Notes: Biological Control and Natural Enemies of Invertebrates (fact sheet)
- Natural Enemies Gallery
- Natural Enemies and Beneficial Insects: What Are They? (webinar)
June 15-21 is National Pollinator Week, a time to highlight the crucial role that pollinators play in producing food for our nation. Something you may not know about pollinators is that many of them, including beetles, flies, and wasps, are also beneficial natural enemies of many garden and landscape pests!
Help protect pollinators and the other beneficial insects in your garden and landscape by using Integrated Pest Management (IPM). Here is a quick reminder of many IPM tactics that, when used in combinations, can help solve your pest problems.:
- Use barriers and screens to block pests from reaching your plants.
- Squash, trap, wash off, or prune out pests.
- Discourage pests by modifying the way you design, water, and fertilize.
- Rely on natural enemies in your landscape to kill pests.
- Plant pest-resistant or well-adapted varieties such as native plants. Many flowering plants also attract beneficials to your yard!
- If pesticides must be used, choose less-toxic materials that are soft on the beneficials and pollinators, yet effective against the target pest. Always read the pesticide label to learn about negative effects on bees and other environmental hazards.
Beneficial insects and pollinators are an important part of our ecosystem. Celebrate National Pollinator Week by learning about IPM and the non-chemical methods you can use to help allow both pollinators and natural enemies to thrive in your garden!