Best Beneficial Insects for Pests in your Garden

Your typical beneficial insects:

When looking for a list of beneficial insects that can help control pests in the garden. One can easily go down the general list below.

• Ladybugs: These bright red and black insects feed on aphids and other small, soft-bodied insects.


• Praying mantises: These large insects are known for their ability to catch and eat a wide variety of insects, including mites, flies, and beetles.


• Green lacewings: These delicate-looking insects are voracious predators of aphids, mites, and other small insects.


• Ground beetles: Many species of ground beetles are predatory and will feed on a wide variety of garden pests, including slugs, snails, and cutworms.


• Minute pirate bugs: These tiny insects feed on a variety of small insects, including aphids, mites, and thrips.


• Damsel bugs: These small, narrow-bodied insects feed on a variety of garden pests, including aphids, mites, and thrips.


• Spined soldier bugs: These large, spiny insects are predatory and will feed on a variety of garden pests, including caterpillars and stink bugs.


• Predatory mites: These tiny mites are voracious predators of other mites, including spider mites and tomato russet mites.

By encouraging these beneficial insects to take up residence in your garden, you can help keep pest populations in check and maintain a healthy, thriving ecosystem. While keeping away from the riskier insecticides. These beneficial insects are typically delivered within a few days of ordering. Sometimes overnight, depending on the species.

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Finding the right species:

So now that you know the typical beneficial insects. How do we go about finding the correct species for your pest problem, identifying them, and introducing them to your garden? Having the specific species can help avoid the most common beneficial insects' mistakes. To help avoid these mistakes we have some pointers for "debunking" myths and highlighting benefits. If you need further help. Our teams at Growershouse.com and Growershouseauto.com has you covered.

Corrected Myths:

• Honeydew is the sticky shiny excrement left by sap-sucking pests like aphids. It can promote the growth of molds and other fungal pathogens and reduce the quality of cut flowers. Myth: Insect frass (Poop/detritus) from beneficial insects will be an issue in your garden and lower bud quality. Myth: Beneficial insects will cause your flower to fail laboratory testing for human consumption.


• Webbing occurs when spider mites have reached the point of heavy reproduction. Areas affected by spider mite webbing should be removed with care to not spread the mites during removal. Myth: Beneficial insects can cause webbing in your buds just like spider mites.


• Using beneficial pesticides saves you on extra costs like spraying, labor costs, and equipment cost like protective equipment. Myth: Using beneficial insects AKA biological control agents (BCAs) is more expensive than chemical pesticides-incorrect in the majority of cases.


• Use beneficial insects as a preventative Integrated Pest Management (IPM) plan. Myth: You should only start using beneficial insects after you've spotted an outbreak


• A holistic Integrated Pest Management (IPM) approach should be your approach along with other aspects like cultural, physical, and sanitation practices. Myth: If you're using beneficial insects you can no longer use pesticides-incorrect if you use proper pesticides and fungicides on a planned schedule.


• Your beneficial insects are alive! Maintaining the proper storage conditions is key to maximizing their efficacy. Selecting the correct mite or insect is important when introducing them to outdoor environments. Myth: Beneficial insects are not effective for outdoor farms.


• Every environment has a predatory vs prey. With growershouseauto.com you can order the right number of beneficial insects for your garden. Myth: Beneficial insects only make sense for large-scale farms.

Benefits:

• Using beneficial insects has zero pre-harvest interval i.e., you can use them up to the day of harvest.


• There is no re-entry interval with beneficial insects, meaning you can go in the room immediately after application, unlike many pesticides which may need a few hours before people can safely re-enter the cultivation area.


• Using beneficial insects is better for the environment VS using chemical pesticides.


• Beneficial insects work 24/7. Possibly the cheapest and most low-maintenance help you can get in your garden.


• You don't need any special equipment to use beneficial insects.


• Beneficial insects are safe to use, unlike many pesticides which contain ingredients that are known to be harmful to humans.


• Unwanted pests cannot develop a resistance to beneficial insects' predators, but they can develop resistance to pesticides over time.


• Some beneficial insects will create self-sustaining populations over time.

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Here is a detailed list of the most known beneficial insects we recommended by species name, how to use them, and identify them.

Visit us at Growershouse.com or get a consultation for your specific garden pests and let us help you source them directly from us at Growershouseauto.com. A fast and easy beneficial insect site to add to your Integrated Pest Management (IPM) solutions with an optional subscription on your order.

1) Aphidius ervi - Beneficial Insects

Helps Control: Aphid

Aphidius ervi is a species of wasp that is commonly used as a biological control agent for aphids in agricultural and horticultural settings. These wasps lay their eggs inside aphid bodies, and the developing wasp larvae consume the aphids from the inside out.

Using Aphidius ervi beneficial insects in your garden can help control aphid populations, which can be damaging to plants. Aphids suck sap from plants, causing stunted growth and deformities, and they can also transmit plant diseases. By introducing Aphidius ervi wasps to your garden, you can help reduce the number of aphids present, which can help improve the health of your plants.

To use Aphidius ervi in your garden, you can purchase them from growershouseauto.com and release them into your garden according to the supplier's instructions. It's important to monitor the aphid population in your garden and release the wasps at the appropriate time to ensure that they are most effective at controlling the pest

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2) Aphidius colemani - Beneficial Insects

Helps Control: aphid species, such as green peach and melon alphids

Aphids are small, soft-bodied insects that feed on the sap of plants. They can damage plants by sucking their sap, and they can also transmit plant diseases. Aphidius colemani is a beneficial insect that feeds on aphids and can help control aphid populations in your garden by feeding on them and reducing their numbers. This can help improve the overall health of your plants and keep them looking their best. In addition, using beneficial insects like Aphidius colemani to control pest populations can be a more environmentally friendly option compared to using chemical pesticides.

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3) Aphelinus abdominalis - Beneficial Insects

Helps Control: Aphids

Aphelinus abdominalis is a small and beneficial insect that feeds on aphids. Aphelinus abdominalis can help control aphid populations in your garden by feeding on them and reducing their numbers. This can help improve the overall health of your plants and keep them looking their best. In addition, using beneficial insects like Aphelinus abdominalis to control pest populations can be a more environmentally friendly option compared to using chemical pesticides.

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4) Amblyseius swirskii - Beneficial Insects

Helps Control: Thrips larvae, Whitefly nymphs, and eggs

Amblyseius swirskii is a beneficial mite that feeds on a variety of pest insects, including thrips, whiteflies, and spider mites. These pests can damage plants by feeding on their sap, causing leaves to yellow and wilt. Amblyseius swirskii can help control pest populations in your garden by feeding on these insects and reducing their numbers. This can help improve the overall health of your plants and keep them looking their best. In addition, using beneficial insects like Amblyseius swirskii to control pest populations can be a more environmentally friendly option compared to using chemical pesticides.

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5) Amblyseius
andersoni - Beneficial Insects

Helps Control: TSSM, Broad Mites, Lewis Mites, Thrips Larvae, and Russet Mites

Amblyseius Andersoni is a predator that feeds on pest insects such as thrips, spider mites, and whiteflies. These pests can damage plants by feeding on their sap, causing leaves to yellow and wilt. By feeding on these pests, Amblyseius andersoni can help control their populations in your garden by reducing their numbers. This can help improve the overall health of your plants and keep them looking their best. In addition, using beneficial insects like Amblyseius andersoni to control pest populations can be a more environmentally friendly option compared to using chemical pesticides.

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6) Amblyseius
(Neosiulus) californicus - Beneficial Insects

Helps Control: Two Spotted Spider Mite, Broad Mite, Russet Mite

Amblyseius (Neosiulus) californicus is a beneficial mite feeds on a variety of pest insects, including thrips, spider mites, and whiteflies. These pests can damage plants by feeding on their sap, causing leaves to yellow and wilt. Amblyseius (Neosiulus) californicus can help control pest populations in your garden by feeding on these insects and reducing their numbers. This can help improve the overall health of your plants and keep them looking their best. In addition, using beneficial insects like Amblyseius (Neosiulus) californicus to control pest populations can be a more environmentally friendly option compared to using chemical pesticides.

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7) Amblyseius (Neoseiulus) cucumeris - Beneficial Insects

Helps Control: Two Spotted Spidermites, Thrips, and Lewis Mites

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Identifying

Aphidius ervi is a small, black beneficial insect that is about 1.5 to 2 millimeters in length. It has a shiny, metallic appearance and is shaped like a wasp. To identify Aphidius ervi, you can look for the following characteristics:

Size: Aphidius ervi is small, about the size of a grain of rice.

Shape: Aphidius ervi is elongated and shaped like a wasp, with a thin waist and long antennae.

Color: Aphidius ervi is black and shiny, with a metallic appearance.

Habitat: Aphidius ervi can be found on plants where aphids are present. Aphids are small, soft-bodied insects that feed on the sap of plants, so you may find Aphidius ervi on plants that have visible aphid damage.

Behavior: Aphidius ervi feeds on aphids by laying its eggs inside the aphids' bodies.

Identifying

Aphidius colemani is a small, black beneficial insect that is about 1.5 to 2 millimeters in length. It has a shiny, metallic appearance and is shaped like a wasp. To identify Aphidius colemani, you can look for the following characteristics:

Size: Aphidius colemani is small, about the size of a grain of rice.

Shape: Aphidius colemani is elongated and shaped like a wasp, with a thin waist and long antennae.

Color: Aphidius colemani is black and shiny, with a metallic appearance.

Habitat: Aphidius colemani can be found on plants where aphids are present. Aphids are small, soft-bodied insects that feed on the sap of plants, so you may find Aphidius colemani on plants that have visible aphid damage.

Behavior: Aphidius colemani feeds on aphids by laying its eggs inside the aphids' bodies. The eggs hatch into larvae, which feed on the inside of the aphid until it is fully consumed.

Identifying

Aphelinus abdominalis is a small, black beneficial insect that is about 1.5 to 2 millimeters in length. It has a shiny, metallic appearance and is shaped like a wasp. To identify Aphelinus abdominalis, you can look for the following characteristics:

Size: Aphelinus abdominalis is small, about the size of a grain of rice.

Shape: Aphelinus abdominalis is elongated and shaped like a wasp, with a thin waist and long antennae.

Color: Aphelinus abdominalis is black and shiny, with a metallic appearance.

Habitat: Aphelinus abdominalis can be found on plants where aphids are present. Aphids are small, soft-bodied insects that feed on the sap of plants, so you may find Aphelinus abdominalis on plants that have visible aphid damage.

Behavior: Aphelinus abdominalis feeds on aphids by laying its eggs inside the aphids' bodies. 

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