Tired of fighting off garden pests? Did you know that you can ward off damage-causing insects without using an ounce of chemicals? Well, you can with the help of your very own warrior bugs. It’s a bug-eat-bug world out there, so why not use that to your advantage? The following warrior bugs will do wonders for your garden.
Brachonids – These little critters will get rid of leaf-eating caterpillars once and for all. They are attracted by carrots, celery, and parsley, so make sure you plant plenty of these yummy plants in your garden. They are attracted to the flower part of these plants, so let them bloom!
Ladybugs – These bugs are far from classy; they’re on the warrior bug front line! Ladybugs have been used for a long time in gardens to fight off aphids, mites, whiteflies, and scales. They really are great bugs to have around; however, you can’t attract them by planting a specific flower. Ladybugs can be purchased online where they will be shipped to your home on ice. Thaw them out to wake them up and release them in your garden!
Lacewings – These bugs consume aphids, as well as ward off a variety of other harmful insects. Lacewings are attracted by black-eyed Susans, yarrow, and goldenrod. If you can’t grow any of these plants in your garden, or if you’re having trouble attracting these bugs, you can purchase lacewings online.
Praying Mantis – These rather large warrior bugs have an appetite for almost any garden pest. A good way to introduce them to your garden is to do so when they’re still eggs. Place eggs around the garden and let them hatch naturally; they’ll soon grow to be full-grown adults and will thrive on pesky insects. You can purchase praying mantis eggs online.
Nematodes – These tiny insects consume cutworms, beetles, and root weevil larvae. The eggs are microscopic and come packed into a small sponge. Simply wet the sponge and place it in the soil. There are millions of eggs in each sponge, so don’t buy too many. These nematode-filled sponges can be purchased online or at your local garden center.