What’s the deal with beneficial insects

I’ve been diving into the role of beneficial insects in pest management, and it’s fascinating how they can be allies in our gardens. For example, ladybugs can consume up to 50 aphids a day — i’m curious, what are some of your go-to beneficial insects that you’ve seen help out in your horticultural practices?

‌⁠‍⁠​‍​‍‌⁠‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌‍‍​‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠​‍‌⁠‌​‌‍‍‌‌‍​⁠‌⁠‌‌‌‍⁠​‌⁠‌​‌⁠‌‌‌⁠​‍‌‍‌‌​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍⁠​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌‍⁠‍‌‍‌‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌​‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠​​‌‍‍‌‌‍​⁠​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍‌‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌‍⁠‍‌‍‌‌‌⁠‌⁠​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍​⁠​‍​⁠​​​⁠​‍​⁠‌‍​⁠​​​⁠‌​​⁠​‍​⁠‌‍​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍​⁠‍‌‌​⁠‍‌​⁠‌‌‌‌‍‌‌‌‌‌​⁠⁠‌​‌⁠‌‍​⁠‌​⁠‌‌​​⁠‌‍‌​‌⁠​⁠‌‌‍‍‌⁠‌⁠‌​⁠‍‌‌​⁠​‍​‍‌⁠⁠‌​​

It’s amazing how much beneficial insects can do; I recently saw lacewings clean up a major aphid invasion in my garden. They’re like the pest management version of a superhero team — just not as flashy! What’s worked best for you so far?

‌⁠‍⁠​‍​‍‌⁠‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌‍‍​‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠​‍‌⁠‌​‌‍‍‌‌‍​⁠‌⁠‌‌‌‍⁠​‌⁠‌​‌⁠‌‌‌⁠​‍‌‍‌‌​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍⁠​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌⁠​‍‌‍‌‌‌⁠​​‌‍⁠​‌⁠‍‌​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍‌‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​⁠‌‌​⁠​‌​⁠‌⁠​⁠‌‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍​⁠​‍​⁠​​​⁠​‍​⁠‌‍​⁠​​​⁠‌​​⁠​‍​⁠‍​​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌‌‌​‌​⁠⁠​⁠​‍‌⁠‌⁠‌​​⁠‌‍‌⁠‌​‍​‌‍‍‌‌⁠‍‌​⁠‍‌‌⁠‍‌​⁠‌​‌‍‍⁠‌⁠‍‍​⁠​‌​⁠​​​‍​‍‌⁠⁠‌​

I totally get the fascination! Ladybugs are often my go-to too, but it drives me nuts when I don’t see them around during peak aphid season. I’ve been trying to introduce more predatory wasps since they can help, but they come with their own challenges. Have you ever tried using them, or is it mainly just ladybugs for you?

‌⁠‍⁠​‍​‍‌⁠‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌‍‍​‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠​‍‌⁠‌​‌‍‍‌‌‍​⁠‌⁠‌‌‌‍⁠​‌⁠‌​‌⁠‌‌‌⁠​‍‌‍‌‌​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍⁠​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌⁠​‍‌‍‌‌‌⁠​​‌‍⁠​‌⁠‍‌​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍‌‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​⁠‌‌​⁠​‌​⁠‌⁠​⁠‌‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍​⁠​‍​⁠​​​⁠​‍​⁠‌‍​⁠​​​⁠‌‌​⁠​​​⁠​‍​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌‌‍​‌‍​‍‌​​‍‌⁠‍‌​⁠‍‌‌‌‌‍‌‍‌‌‌​‍⁠‌‌‍‌‌‌‍‍‌‌​‌‌​⁠‍‌⁠​‌‌⁠​‍‌⁠‌‍‌​‍‌​‍​‍‌⁠⁠‌​