by Ethel Smith

Created on: May 02, 2007   Last Updated: May 08, 2007

It is common knowledge that those old wriggly worms in your garden are like gold dust in improving your soil's quality. Similarly many insects may have been under rated by you in the past, as to their benefits. It may be more beneficial, than you have previously realised, to attract certain insects into your garden, than to try and deter or eliminate them. I am only an amateur gardener but here are some beneficial insects which I have found in my garden over the years:-

1 -LADYBIRDS- These pretty little flying beetles, which are usually red and black with large spots, can devour aphids at an alarming rate. Aphids are the greenfly and white-fly which will decimate your flowers and shrubs if not controlled. Aphids love to eat your roses till their beauty has all but gone. To my mind, ladybirds with their eating capacity are therefore like an eco-friendly insecticide, well almost. When the summer temperatures sizzle Ladybirds will go into over drive and eat their way through masses of unwanted aphids in your garden.

2 -SPIDERS- Similarly spiders will eat plenty of unwanted insects such as flies and bluebottles and keep your garden healthy and happy.

3 -BEES- As these little buzzing creatures fly around your garden, visiting all your flowers in succession, in such an intimate fashion, they help with nature's pollenation process of your plants. The bees are a vital ingredient in this recipe for a lovely flowering garden.

4 -BUTTERFLIES- I'm not really sure of the benefits of butterflies in your garden but they certainly look beautiful and delicate, almost as if they are flying flowers. I have a couple of Buddleiha bushes, and Lavender ones, which attract masses of Bees, Wasps and Butterflies, and they are certainly the sight and sound of summer. Whatever else they may or may not do they certainly add beauty and atmosphere into your garden.

There are a number of mites and midges which may be of benefit also, by eating destructive insects. All insects have a use, it's just a matter of finding the right insects for the job in hand. Before you kill any insects research them well, as you may do more harm than good by trying to deter or eliminate them from your garden, and you may really be much better off trying to nurture them instead.

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