If you want to know the truth, there are more bugs than you realize out there in your yard or garden. The good news is that most of these bugs don’t harm or feed on your lawn, trees or garden crops. In fact, many of them are beneficial and some even prey on pests that would like to damage your landscape plants.

In broad terms, beneficial insects and other arthropods we might find in our yard can be categorized as either parasites or insect predators. Parasites often develop in or on a pests’ egg after being deposited by the adult parasite, while predators actively hunt and consume other insect or mite pests.

COMMON INSECT PREDATORS

Ladybird beetles

Also called “ladybugs,” this is one of more well known insect predators you might find in your backyard. Both the adult and larval stages of this insect can be quite helpful in controlling aphid populations. Some species of ladybird beetles also feed on spider mites.

Green lacewings

The adult stage of this insect mostly feeds on nectar and other fluids. The larvae, however, will attack small caterpillars, aphids and beetles.

Syrphid flies

These brightly colored flies are also known as flower flies or hoverflies. Although some species could be confused with bees or yellow jacket wasps, they are harmless to people. The adults feed on flowers and the larvae actively seek out soft-bodies insects such as aphids.

Predatory bugs

As far as entomologists are concerned, these are the “true bugs” – the only group of insects that can technically be referred to as bugs. It’s a large group, too, as far as beneficial insects are concerned. It includes stink bugs, damsel bugs, minute pirate bugs, ambush bugs and assassin bugs. This group of predator insects can help control leaf-eating caterpillars, potato beetle larvae, aphids, thrips, and spider mites.

Ground beetles

There are several species of ground beetles in Michigan. You will often find them lounging under logs, brush or rocks. But any insect pest that spends its life feeding on the above-ground parts of your trees or shrubs could find themselves embraced by the powerful jaws of a ground beetle.

GENERAL PREDATORS

Spiders

While some spiders make webs to trap their prey others prefer to roam around in search of their next meal. All will feed on insect pests such as aphids, leafhoppers, caterpillars and beetles.

Predatory mites

Predatory mites specialize in feeding on mites that attack plants, such as the two-spotted spider mite, spruce spider mite, honeylocust mite, oak mites, European red mites and others.

Praying mantis

While most people would easily recognize this predator it’s one that you’ll rarely find in your backyard. Their front legs are specialized for grasping prey, and they will consume any insect they can get a hold of – including their mates!

INSECT PARASITES

Braconid and ichneumonid wasps

This is a very divergent group of insect predators. Some are so small they live in the eggs of insect pests, while others are large enough that they can attack and carry off the bodies of large leaf feeding caterpillars. None, thankfully, are bothersome to humans.

Several species of predatory wasps have been imported from China to help in the control of emerald ash borer. Although we’re still in the early stages of this control strategy, it looks like these parasitic wasps might be starting to have an impact on controlling emerald ash borer.

Conserving and Protecting Beneficial Insects

As you can see, there are actually a lot of good bugs out there in your backyard. These insects, and other arthropods, provide a valuable service to us in keeping some plant pest populations in check. This is one of the many reasons Owen Tree Service practices integrated pest management when caring for your landscape plants. We treat the plants that have damaging populations of insects on them, as opposed to spraying every plant on the property. This approach keeps damaging insect populations to a minimum while avoiding any negative impact to the beneficial insect population on your property.