Lady Bugs

The lady bug or lady beetle are important insects to have in yards and gardens. Adult lady bugs will eat over 50 aphids per day. If there are enough aphids, the lady bugs will stay long enough to lay eggs. The larvae of the lady bug can eat over 400 aphids per day. Lady bugs also feed on other insects such as, scale insects, mites, mealy bugs, whiteflies, thrips, and other soft bodied insects. In mild climates, the lady bug will overwinter on the underside of leaves. Lady bugs will find there way into houses in cold climates.

Ground Beetles

The ground beetles are relatively large insects 3/4" long and are dark colored with long jointed legs. They are nocturnal and hunt for insect eggs and larvae at night in leaf litter. Adults and immature Ground beetles feed on caterpillars, cut worms, root maggots, spiders, snails, slugs, mites, and other beetles. Ground beetles are important insects to have in a yard or garden.

Lace Wings

The lace wing insect is considered to be on of the most effective predators to have in a garden. In the larval stage, it is a fierce predator feeding on aphids, mealy bugs, leaf hopper, white flies, and other lace wings. The lace wing larvae looks like a tiny 1/2" alligator and has a voracious appetite.

Hover Flies

Resembling a small bee, the hover fly, or syrphid, has a striped abdomen and have movements like flies. Hover flies do not sting. They hover briefly over flowers before landing. The adult hover fly searches for pollen and nectar. They lay their eggs near aphids so that when the eggs hatch, the hungry larvae can begin feeding on the aphids. Hover fly larvae will also feed on leaf hoppers, scale insects, mealy bugs, thrips, and corn borers. The hover fly larvae can eat up to 60 aphids per day. The hover fly is a very beneficial insect to have in a yard or garden.

Parasitic Wasps

Parasitic wasps are miniscule in size and are very helpful insects to have in a garden. Parasitic wasps will protect your garden from caterpillars like, tomato fruit worms, cabbage worms, tent caterpillars, and corn ear worms. They will even lay their eggs on caterpillars so that when the eggs hatch the hungry larvae will attack the caterpillar and kill it.

Dragon Fly

Dragon flies are large and colorful insects that require water for all stages of life. The dragon fly feed on mosquito larvae and adult mosquitoes. Dragon flies also feed on small insects, midges, small moths, bees, butterflies, and other dragon flies. Dragon flies do not bite or sting humans.

Praying Mantis

Praying mantids are highly predacious and feed on a variety of insects, including moths, crickets, grasshoppers and flies. They lie in wait with the front legs in an upraised position. They intently watch and stalk their prey. They will eat each other praying mantids. Praying mantids are often protectively colored to the plants they live on. Mantids are usually found on plants that have other insects around. Some mantids live in grass. The adult female usually eats the male after or during mating. They are good garden predators, but do not discriminate between beneficial and harmful garden insects. Three distinct body regions: head, thorax (where the legs and wings are attached), abdomen.  Large compound eyes on the head which moves freely around (up to 180°) and three simple eyes between the compound eyes. Females usually have heavier abdomens and are larger than males. A distinct Styrofoam-like egg case protects Mantid eggs throughout the winter. Up to 200 or more nymphs may emerge from the egg case. The nymphs look like adults except for size and the sexual definition. Coloration and patterns in the nymph stage may be different than the adult.