Garden Bugs: Friends or Foes?

Insects can be a horticulturist's nightmare. A small swarm can decimate your elaborate plantings in a matter of moments. If your prized flowers have yellowing leaves with ragged edges or cloudy blotches, you probably have a nasty infestation of unwelcome bugs.

Don't panic! Help is on the way!

Before you grab a can of toxic chemical all-purpose pest-killer to eliminate the invaders, why not try to solve the problem the natural way? Call in some friendly reinforcements from the insect kingdom!

First, you need to try to determine exactly what pests are problematic in your plantings. A basic bug book, such as a field guide to insects, will offer pictures for simple identification. If you're still not sure, you can snip off a few plagued or blighted leaves, place them in a zippered plastic bag, and take them to your local garden center or county extension for assistance.

Once you have identified the enemy, you can plan your attack.

Beneficial bugs are a gardener's best friends.

Nurseries and garden supply stores offer beneficial insects for sale. You can ask knowledgeable staffers, if you have specific questions.

Horticultural catalogs and websites market them as well, usually with helpful close-up photographs of both harmful and beneficial bugs.

Following are some of the most popular helpful varieties.

Aphid lions (green lacewings larvae) gobble up caterpillar eggs, leafhoppers, spider mites, thrips, and whiteflies. Place the eggs in your garden, so they will hatch near the undesirable critters. Once matured, these will no longer be beneficial.

Cryptolamus beetles prey on mealy bugs. These insects look much like ladybugs. Release adults into your garden, and they will continue to multiply. Even the beetle larvae will eat mealy bugs.

Ladybugs eat aphids, chinch bugs, mites, whiteflies and other soft-bodied insects. They will also eat insect eggs. Purchase ladybugs as adults. These will eat harmful insects and produce eggs. The resulting larvae will also eat aphids. Each mature ladybug will devour approximately 5,000 aphids in her lifetime.

Minute pirate bugs will eliminate mites and thrips. These tiny bugs are attracted to pollen-rich plants.

Parasitic nematodes are tiny worms that enter and eat grubs, webworms, and weevils from the inside out. These microscopic worms do not winter well, so they must be added each spring.

Praying mantis eat aphids, beetles, flies and other pests. Purchased in egg casings, they can be planted among shrubs. With two weeks, they will hatch and begin eating bad bugs. They may also eat beneficial bugs, if they run out of prey.

Predator mites help to reduce populations of fungus gnats, spider mites, spotted mites, and thrips.

Stink bugs (spined soldier bugs) will consume armyworms, beetles, webworms, and other nasty creatures. Purchase nymphs and adults to stagger their effectiveness.

Tiny trichogramma wasps devour hundreds of wormy pests, such as borers, caterpillars, and webworms. The wasps actually inject their own eggs into the pests' eggs, so they are destroyed as they hatch.

Send your armies out to do battle for you!

Usually, beneficial insects are sold in a frozen state. This makes it quite simple for you to disperse them in your garden. You can place them exactly where you need them most. Once they thaw out and begin to move around, they will be ready to go to work!

Sow your insects immediately, carefully following the seller's directions. Be sure to examine them up-close, so you will recognize them in your garden. (You may need a magnifying glass, as most beneficial bugs are tiny.) Release the good bugs on or near your infested plants or flowers.

Planting nectar-rich plants will help to feed and foster your miniscule pest-fighters. Catnip, dill, and yarrow are ideal for most beneficial bugs.

Be patient. Give your insect friends time to work their magic in your garden. You can expect to see a marked improvement within a couple of weeks.