Beneficial Insects Part 2

This is the second post of several on the benefits that insects can bring to your garden. 

There are many varieties of ground beetles. Adults and larvae are predators feeding on other insects. A full discussion of these interesting critters is beyond the scope of this post. More information is available at the Ohio State University Extension, at the University of Kentucky Entomology Department  and at BugGuide.Net. Garden litter and debris are necessary for these beetles.

Robber flies are large flies that prey on a variety of garden pests and, unfortunately, occasionaly on bees. Use caution in handling them as the larger varieties can give you a nasty and painful bite. The larvae live in the soil and are probably carniverous. 

Flower flies, also known as hover flies, are pollinators as adults, they feed on nectar and pollen. The larvae eat aphids, mealybugs, scale and leafhoppers. Buckwheat, candytuft, chicory and many other plants support these useful flies.

Lacewings, adults and larvae, feast on aphids, larvae and eggs of other insects. They like to hang out with carrots, oleander, tree of heaven and wild lettuce. 

The preying mantis is a well-known predator of the garden. They will eat almost anything including each other. If they can catch them large adukts will take small toads, salamanders or shrews. If given the opportunity they will also bite fingers. Cosmos and blackberry or raspberry brambles are favored by these insects but they are not fussy.

Tachnid flies are pollinators as adults; they like to feed on buckwheat, coriander, fennel and white clover. The larvae feed on, or rather in, the bodies of beetles. bugs, sawflies and caterpillars. 

There are more bugs to come as well as discussion of the plants they'll look for.