Attract Beneficial Insects

Biological control is the management of pest populations by the use of natural enemies known as beneficial insects. Beneficial insects are classified either as predators (organisms that control the pest by eating it), or as parasites (organisms that live in or on the pest until its death).

Home gardeners can easily adopt an effective pest management strategy by attracting and protecting beneficial insects. Although gardeners can buy some beneficial insects, the selection that can be purchased is nothing like the huge variety available in nature. Here's what you can do:

• The first step to enticing predators to colonize a garden is to stop using pesticides. Beneficial insects are much less resistant to pesticides than are pest insects.
• The next step is to design and plant your yard or garden so it contains perennial beds or areas that remain undisturbed each year.
• A profusion of flowering plants, especially those with small flowers rich in nectar, is necessary to attract beneficial flies and wasps to the garden. Particularly attractive are members of the mint family (lemon balm, pennyroyal, thyme), the carrot family (dill, parsley) and cabbage family (radishes, mustard, broccoli) that have been allowed to bolt. Many weeds are also attractive to predatory insects including Queen-Anne's-lace and milkweed that provide nectar.
• Herbs interplanted among the vegetables do not necessarily repel pests (many pests have very sophisticated sensory equipment for locating their host plants), but the herbs attract the pests' natural enemies to the garden.
• One last attraction that can be added to complete this beneficial insect paradise is an "insect bath." Set up a small birdbath and build up gravel islands in the water so insects can drink without drowning during the hot, dry days of summer.

For more details please take a look at our fact sheet called Beneficial Insects. If you cannot open the file, please read our Fact Sheet page.