Beneficial insect

Beneficial insects (sometimes called beneficial bugs) are any of a number of species of insects that perform valued services like pollination and pest control. The concept of beneficial is subjective and only arises in light of desired outcomes from a human perspective. In agriculture, where the goal is to raise selected crops, insects that hinder the production process are classified as pests, while insects that assist production are considered beneficial. In horticulture and gardening, beneficial insects are often considered those that contribute to pest control and native habitat integration.

Ladybirds (also known as lady bugs in North America) are a beneficial insect commonly sold for biological control of aphids.

Encouraging beneficial insects, by providing suitable living conditions, is a pest control strategy, often used in organic farming, organic gardening or integrated pest management. Companies specializing in biological pest control sell many types of beneficial insects, particularly for use in enclosed areas, like greenhouses.

Types
Bee boxes at an organic farm
A European mantis (Mantis religiosa) hunts for prey, using a rose flower as a vantage point.
Encarsia formosa, an endoparasitic wasp, was one of the first biological control agents developed.

Some species of bee are beneficial as pollinators, although generally only efficient at pollinating plants from the same area of origin, facilitating propagation and fruit production for many plants. Also, some bees are predators or parasites of pests. This group includes not only honeybees, but also many other kinds of bees that are more efficient at pollinating plants native to their region. Bees can be attracted by many companion plants, especially bee balm and pineapple sage for honeybees, or Apiaceae like Queen Anne's lace and parsley, for predatory bees. Wasps, especially fig wasps are also beneficial as pollinators.[1]

Ladybugs are generally thought of as beneficial because they eat large quantities of aphids, mites and other arthropods that feed on various plants.

Other insects commonly identified as beneficial include:[2][3][4]

Attractive plants
Many plants in the family Asteraceae attract beneficial insects.

Plants in the families Apiaceae and Asteraceae are generally valuable companions. Here are other plants that attract beneficial insects:

See also

References
  1. "Wasp Pollination". U. S. Forest Service. United States Department of Agriculture. Retrieved 5 January 2021.
  2. "Farmscaping to Enhance Biological Control" Archived 2010-04-26 at the Wayback Machine, ATTRA - National Sustainable Agriculture Information Service.
  3. Xerces Society (2014). Burns, Deborah (ed.). Farming with Native Beneficial Insects: Ecological Pest Control Solutions. North Adams, Massachusetts: Storey Publishing. pp. 183–207. ISBN 9781612122830.
  4. Miller, Carley (2021-07-22). "16 Beneficial Garden Insects to Consider". The Green Pinky. Retrieved 2021-12-07.

Additional sources
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