Set the Table for Beneficial Insects
Lacewings, ladybugs, praying mantises, parasitic wasps and other beneficial insects are all the rage among gardeners who want to curb pests while cutting pesticide use. People often buy and release beneficial insects in the hopes they’ll remain and feast on aphids, mealybugs, whiteflies and other unwelcome garden visitors. But beneficial insects also supplement their nutritional needs with nectar and pollen. By planting some of their preferred flowering plants, you’ll provide a balanced diet that’ll invite beneficial insects to stick around and produce generations of offspring. (You’ll also need to avoid broad-spectrum pesticides.) Plants in the carrot family, including dill, fennel and parsley, are very attractive to many beneficial insects. Other favorites include coriander, angelica, cilantro, lovage and sweet cicely. While some beneficial insects are highly recognizable, their young may not be. Immature ladybugs, for example, look nothing like their parents—they are small, black and wingless, often described as looking like little alligators. It’s important to recognize and not destroy the larvae, which have particularly voracious appetites, or eggs of beneficial insects. For some identification photos and other helpful information about beneficial insects, visit N.C. State University’s Biological Control Information Center Web site, http://cipm.ncsu.edu/ent/biocontrol.