We talk a lot on this blog about protecting your lawn from pests and insects, which is absolutely a necessary component of maintaining a healthy lawn. At the same time, one related topic that doesn’t get discussed as often is that there are insects that can actually help your lawn. In fact, in many cases these good insects will police the bad insects. For this reason, you always want to be able to distinguish between the insects that provide a service to your lawn and those that will harm your yard. This topic is pretty extensive and goes beyond the scope of this blog post, but today we offer a basic introduction to the types of insects that you should welcome onto your lawn.
Ladybugs are Great for Any Lawn
Beetles
Beetles are one insect that are uniformly helpful for your lawn. Ground beetles are especially common, particularly in cold-weather climates; they can be identified by their greenish color and feed on the soft-bodied insects that will harm your lawn. Rove beetles are also popular, particularly in lawns, and also prey on soft-bodied insects. Another common beetle is the ladybug, which feeds on insects and aphids. There are around 250 different types of ladybugs, but you can rest assured that all are useful for your lawn.
Spiders and Ants
Spiders (not technically insects, but close enough) are one of the most feared animals in existence, but considering all of the benefits they provide to your lawn, you would be well-advised to cultivate them. They not only feed on insects but will also take care of mites. Another visually unpleasant small animal is the ant, but ants should not be wiped away en masse. In fact, they are very useful in improving soil consistency.
Parasites
There are also invisible insects that improve your lawn. These include tiny parasites that will lodge inside the body of an insect and prey on it. They basically perform the same service as beetles and spiders, but do so by implanting themselves inside the insect rather than preying on it from the outside.
Bees, Hornets, and Yellow Jackets
These are all generally feared by the general population, but bees, hornets, and yellow jackets provide benefits that cannot be denied. They feed on insects, while bees are useful for pollinating fruits, vegetables, and other foods.
You always need to be on the lookout for dangerous insects, but make sure that you don’t kill insects that actually provide great help to your lawn. After all, the success of any lawn depends on them.
