Good Bug, Bad Bug

Do you know the difference between a beneficial insect and a malevolent one?  With the current concerns about pesticide safety and low impact or sustainable practices it is important to attract beneficial insects into your landscape/garden, many of which prey upon ones that do harm to your plants.  Beneficials play an important role in keeping the bad bug populations in check and many also serve to pollinate flowers.  Ladybugs, Lacewings, Hoverflies and Parasitic Mini Wasps are just a few to invite into your garden areas to feast upon your garden pests.

Following is list of a few plants that attract beneficial insects and look and grow well in our local gardens:

• Achillea sp. (Yarrow)
• Ajuga reptans (Carpet Bugleweed)
• Coreopsis sp. (Tickseed)
• Lavandula angustifolia (Lavender)
• Rudbeckia fulgida (Black eye Susan)
• Veronica spicata (Speedwell)
• Tagetes hybrids (Marigold)
• Thymus serphyllum coccineus (Crimson Thyme)