Insects, whether in your garden or in your home can at times be pests. While some pests are no-brainers to be gotten rid of when inside the home, like wasps and ants, there are actually some pests you’re better off guiding back to the outdoors. You may be surprised to learn that some insects serve a beneficial role to your outdoor ecosystem, especially if you grow a flower or vegetable garden. In this article, we are going to review these insects and the reasons why it’s better to leave them alive.

The Honey Bee

This one should come as no surprise! The bee population serves an important role in our ecosystem through their natural pollination efforts. These little critters will travel miles away from their nest in order to collect nectar for the hive. In the process, a single bee may visit anywhere from 50 to 100 plants per trip.

These bees are especially important for the pollination of our crops, gardens, trees, and flower gardens. As our top pollinating insects, keeping these guys around is important for the survival of our ecosystem. And let’s not forget about their delicious honey! While beekeepers manage multiple hives in order to produce this honey for commercial purchase, natural hives still serve a purpose.

If you find you have an unwanted hive too close for comfort, then reach out to your local beekeeper for removal.

 

The Lady Bug

While these little lady beetles can be quite annoying when they move indoors, they are actually very benefical to both vegetable and flower gardens when they are outside in their natural habitat. The ladybug feasts on aphids and mites, which are pests in their own rights. Aphids suck the sap from plants which cause deterioration in both leaves and flowers, while mites cause significant damage through eating of the actual plant.

Ladybugs have a hefty appetite, not just for eating aiphids and mites, these natural pest controllers will also eat fruit flies and thrips.

Overall, if you value your vegetable or flower garden, then the ladybugs are your best bet for a natural pest control solution.

Friendly Spiders

We know, spiders are creepy crawlies that are scary to look at and despite their insect-eating habits, they can still make our skin crawl. The cold hard truth is that some spiders, like the common wolf spiders and daddy long legs, are beneficial to have in your home. These particular species of spiders will greatly assist you in controlling your insect pest problem through their natural habits of capturing and eating.

Keep in mind that not all spiders are friendly. Black widows and brown recluses are dangerous to humans and should be removed if found.

Praying Mantis

These beautiful and mesmerizing critters are one of the good ones to keep around simply for the number of insects they consume.  While the females can grow quite large, don’t let these ladies intimidate you.

You may be surprised to learn that there are many gardeners who will purchase praying mantises to release into their gardens to help control the populations of plant damaging insects.

 

Final Thoughts

So, while there are plenty of pest insects around that require the assistance of a professional team, these 4 species just aren’t one of them. So if you happen to find these friendly critters inside and would rather they weren’t, you’re better off gently guiding them outdoors than squashing them.

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