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They fall into three categories: Pollinators – Up to 90% of plants require some sort of animal-mediated pollination to produce fruit and reproduce. These include bees, butterflies, hummingbirds, and even sphinx moths! To learn more about pollinators you can check out our pollinator garden blog HERE Predators – These are insects that will hunt harmful insects and prevent your plants from being eaten or damaged. This category includes ladybugs, lacewings and spiders. Parasitizers – These are similar to predators, expect they do not eat harmful bugs but instead use these bugs as hosts for their eggs and larvae. This category includes parasitic wasps. Densely packed compound flowers are the preference for bees as it allows them to visit many flowers in a small space and deep flowers are the preference of moths and butterflies. Pollinators are less likely to visit double flowering plants (two sets of petals on the same flower) as they will not look as recognizable to pollinators. Early flowering plants are helpful to pollinators who are coming out of winter dormancy as they will have limited food sources. Providing multiple flowering times throughout the season will ensure your pollinators have food. Ideally you want at least three types of flowers to be flowering for each month, this will provide your pollinators with a varied diet as flowers has different nutritional content to their nectar depending on the variety. Flowers also attract harmful insects and multiple flowering times will provide predators and parasitizers with a sustained food source. Perennials are preferred by pollinators over annuals. Perennials will also provide a stable generational home to other beneficial insects. Vertical diversity can also help attract beneficial insects to your hard, Trees shrubs, perennials or annuals and groundcovers can provide many homes and food sources in a smaller amount of space. Native pollinators will recognize their native species so the best colours for flowers are going to be ones they are familiar with. White, yellow and pink are the most common colours for native plants. Providing homes and nesting locations will help keep beneficial insects in your area, this includes leaving your leaves in piles in fall so they have a place to over winter and also making new homes for them. A great way to make some homes for solitary bees is to drill holes in wooden blocks! Be sure to provide a variety of hole sizes as male and female solitary bees have different size Avoid using pesticides whenever possible, and if pesticides are necessary never spray on the flowers of your plants as it can kill your local pollinators. requirements.What are Beneficial Insects?
Beneficial insects are insects that provide a positive service to your garden.
Plant Characteristics that Attract Beneficial Insects
A diverse garden is the best garden for beneficial insects, multiple bloom types and flowering times will provide the best food source for pollinators and habitat for predators and parasitizers. They do have some preferences if you are hoping to attract them to your garden.
Flower Shape
Flowering Time
Type of Plant
Flower Colour
Other Things You Can do to Assist Beneficial Insects
Provide Homes to your Insects
Pesticides
Examples of Plants for Beneficial Insects
