Good Bugs For Your Yard And Garden

By Jordyn Rickard

Naturally, nature includes bugs. Some are harmless and some can sting or bite. But not all are pests. Some are super bugs! Did you know that ladybugs and praying mantis are great super bugs to have in your garden and yard? Eating the pesky bugs, you’ll be a much happier gardener!

If you don’t naturally have a large population of these insects in your yard, they are easy to purchase from your home and garden store or from an online retailer. They will arrive in a safe container built for travel and will be ready to be released. Ladybugs will arrive matured and can be released. Praying mantis’ will arrive in egg cases. Each egg case may hatch up to two hundred eggs!

In every ecosystem, there are naturally some bugs that will do harm to your garden. Ladybugs are a great asset because they eat aphids (plant lice), flies, spider mites and other plant pests. One single ladybug will eat about 80 aphids a day! Not only are they completely harmless to plants, pets and people, some consider them to be a sign of good luck. These ladies aren’t dumb either. They play dead when they feel threatened to protect themselves and can even release an unappealing fluid to make predators go away! They are also one of the most recognizable bugs due to their beautiful bright red color with black spots.

If you would like to assemble the ultimate dream team, praying mantis will be the perfect addition along with ladybugs to your yard and garden. A praying mantis is certainly larger than a ladybug and is able to grow to up to five inches, but do not fear. They are completely harmless… to humans! Like ladybugs, they also eat flies and mosquitoes even wasps. They are excellent hunters and very swift in their actions. An interesting fact about them is that they are the only insect that can swivel its head completely around to look behind! Some even keep them as pets because they are so entertaining to watch.

These super bugs are great additions to your garden and yard. They help your plants and are great to observe in the wild. Children will also learn to appreciate them and they’re a great educational tool! The dream team is just another welcomed addition to the warm weather. Are there any other super bugs out there? Let us know how they help your garden!