The time has come to start enjoying our gardens, patios and orchards. And yes, also to fight against pests that attack our plants. We can do it with chemical pesticides, but it is much more sustainable to do it by attracting birds and beneficial insects to our garden that act as predators.
attract beneficial insects to your garden will help you balance its ecosystem. One of the reasons for the appearance of pests is the absence of natural predators for the insects that cause them. By attracting them, populations will self-regulate. But, what are the insects that we must attract and how can we do it?
beneficial insects
Beneficial insects will be all those that help you balance the ecosystem of your garden. They could not be, therefore, the same in a specific geographic space in another. Although broadly speaking, if we can mention six insects that will always be helpful:
- ladybugs: Ladybugs have a great ability to keep aphids, mealy worms, mites away from your crops and plants... And you won't have to worry about them; Both the adult specimens and the lavas damage your plants.
- ground beetles: Ground beetles feed on slugs, snails, worms, and caterpillars, among others. Did you know that they can also help the deterioration of compost? One more reason to want them in your garden.
- Tachinid flies: These large dipterans are parasitoids of other insects such as the Japanese beetle, the gypsy moth, the cabbage worm or the carp caterpillar. In other words, they place their larvae in these insects that serve as an incubator and food.
- Praying Mantis: In addition to being spectacular, the praying mantis is very useful in a garden as it helps you get rid of caterpillars, moths, beetles...
- soldier bug: Natural predators of caterpillars and larvae of beetles harmful to crops, you will recognize it by its round, slightly flattened body and its black and red colors.
- Bee: Not all beneficial insects are beneficial because they destroy other harmful ones. Bees are essential for pollination, an equally or more important job.
Strategies to attract them
Requires little or no effort attract birds and insects to your garden. You will only have to worry about providing them with a home and incorporating some plants that are attractive to them. We talk about these and other strategies below in more detail:
Incorporate attractive plants for these
To attract birds and beneficial insects you will have to incorporate into your garden or garden the plants that they are attracted to. The more variety of plants incorporate better, the more comfortable the insects will be. Although not all will help you in the same way.
Among the plants with the best results are the aromatic plants. Plants such as dill, parsley, angelica, lavender, rosemary or fennel will delight different insects. Perennial plants also contribute brightly colored flowers (echinaceas, daisies, cosmos, marigolds, verbenas and roses) and berries and fruit trees, especially when it comes to bees and birds.
Give them a home
Plants provide homes for many insects, but some will need a space to shelter during the day, especially in summer. That is why it is essential to provide them with small natural spaces (stones, trunks and branches) or artificial ones.
Surely you've heard of the "insect hotels" Built with natural elements such as branches, pineapples, small trunks, etc., they are a perfect place for insects to settle and reproduce. You will find numerous tutorials to make them yourself, although you could also purchase them.
Good compost mountain it will also serve as a home for, for example, ground beetles. If you are willing to create your own compost at home, you will kill two birds with one stone, think about it!
Chemical waiver
Avoid using products that contain ingredients of synthetic origin and limit the ecological insecticides that you apply in your garden or garden to treat pests because they could harm beneficial insects. If you are looking for a favorable environment for these, you will have to make some concessions.