When you’re a beginner spending time in your garden, there are often moments where you’ll spot a stray bug and wonder if it might be harmful to the health of the plants you’re working so hard to cultivate and nurture.

The fact that there is an almost limitless supply of bugs that can damage your plants means that for many people who are just starting a garden you’re on high alert. While quite a few insects do represent a danger, there are actually several that should be left alone as they can actually vastly improve the health and beauty of your garden and its plants.

Bees

honey-beeThis one is almost a no-brainer, especially when it comes to certain species such as bumble bees. These bugs are probably one of the most beneficial insects to a garden, particularly one with any sorts of flowers because of the vital role they play in pollination.

Now, that isn’t to say there aren’t some species of bee that are true pests in their own right, such as the carpenter bee which eats through wood to build its nest much like termites. But for the most part, bees should be left alone to do their very important work in peace; your flowers will thank you for it later.

Praying Mantis

praying-mantisThese interesting stick like insects are among the best at what can be called organic pest control.

They are skilful predators, and will feast on any number of harmful pests that do cause damage such as aphids, caterpillars and flies without causing any harm whatsoever to your plants. They have even been known in rare cases to prey on small rodents if you can imagine it.

Ladybugs

ladybugIt seems most gardeners know of the benefits of having some ladybugs in amongst their flowers, and it’s with good reason that these insects have cultivated such a good reputation.

A Ladybug’s diet consists mainly of tiny bugs known as aphids that voraciously devour the leaves and stems of your plants. Having some ladybugs in your garden will reduce the problem by many orders of magnitude, and since they themselves cause no harm to plants will be a completely beneficial relationship.

Just by learning about some of the bugs that help you along the way, you’ll be a much happier and smarter gardener, and your plants will definitely show all the hard work these little helpers have put into keeping your flower beds free of annoying and damaging pests.

Although there are some insects that are good to have around, as any gardener knows, there are some that will utterly destroy what you’ve worked so hard to cultivate if they are allowed to run roughshod over your plants and flowers.

If you’d like to learn more about the pests that can harm your garden, and how you can control them, please visit this pest control website.

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Filed under: gardening • gardening tips • home gardening

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