Summer is finally here, and with it comes a surge of various seasonal bugs and winged visitors to our outdoor spaces.
And if you’ve been growing veggies or lush plants, the last thing you want is for backyard bugs to ruin your hard work. However, a handful of creepy-crawlies often considered nuisance pests are actually helpful friends (and not foes) for a thriving outdoor space.
While we all know butterflies are beneficial ot our yard, there are other ‘good’ bugs which we can leave alone to get on with things.
So before you reach for the repellent, here are some pests that you actually need in your yard this season.
1. Ladybugs (ladybirds)
Although many people try to get rid of ladybugs around the home, you might just want to hold fire. These spotted beetles frequent our gardens and occasionally cluster in numbers — but they are perfect for wiping out destructive aphids in your yard.
In fact, one adult eats roughly 50 aphids a day — while their larvae will eat even more. These hungry bugs also keep blackfly, greenfly, and mealybugs under control.
Aphids are soft-bodied bugs that attach themselves to the underside of leaves in your yard and feast on the sap of your plants. These bugs are more common during summer, and particular favorites include roses, tomato plants, sunflowers, and many more.
Ladybugs make an effective, natural form of pest control, which protects your plants and veggies from being ruined. Interestingly, there are over 500 species of ladybugs, which can be confused with the invasive Asian beetle. If in doubt, check out our guide on how to identify ladybugs or Asian beetles.
For more top tips on getting rid of aphids, check out 7 natural aphid deterrents to prevent infestation in your yard.
2. Lacewings
Similarly, these net-winged creatures may look harmless, but both green lacewings and their young are aggressive hunters that devour massive quantities of aphids and their larvae. You can usually identify these insects by their distinctive, net-looking wings (that give them their name), long antennae and gold or copper eyes.
Green lacewings are known to be generalist predators, and a single larva can eat up to 200 aphids a week. If you’re growing homegrown veggies or have an allotment, these winged insects are expertly skilled at eliminating aphids before they can finish feasting on your tasty harvest.
Lacewings also feed on a variety of soft-bodied insect pests, including mealybugs, thrips, leafhoppers, and other sap-feeding insects like whitefly, greenfly and black fly — which are notorious for destroying beans and other edible plants.
So the next time you come across lacewings in your outdoor space, you might consider letting them stay to protect your garden.
3. Spiders
Whether they are hidden away in our living spaces or spinning webs across the backyard, these eight-legged creatures seem to be everywhere. And despite our best efforts at seeking spider repellents, experts recommend putting them to work if you spot them in the garden.
Luckily, these arachnids are not picky about their prey, making them excellent for trapping winged pests like blackfly or greenfly within their webs. While there are various species of spiders in the yard, wolf spiders and crab spiders are extremely efficient hunters. For instance, the crab spider uses floral camouflage, lying in wait for unsuspecting visitors to arrive.
And if you haven’t spotted any spiders during the day, fear not. Some spiders hunt at night, and some will hunt during daylight, such as the jumping spider that feasts mainly on flies.
Of course, if you discover that you have a pest infestation in your home, always contact your local pest control company to tackle the problem.
Also, find out if it’s ever ok to to squash spiders in your home — here's what the experts say (and you’ll be surprised).
