Pests or Patrons?

Insects play a critical role in the health, success and usefulness of a native landscape. While a diverse landscape is far less likely to deal with pest problems than its non-native, monocultural counterpart, there’s obviously quite a range within the millions upon millions of insect species: Not all are out to help your property, and not all are out to hurt it. 

The Helpful Bunch

Once everything’s planted and sprouted, plenty of beneficial insects will know to make their way to your native landscape. You know the obvious ones: Pollinators like bees and butterflies can help support plant reproduction, foraging for nectar and encouraging fruit and veggie growth. Ladybugs, in addition, are a welcome appearance not only for their spritely colors, but their appetite for more harmful pests that could do real damage.

Moreover, lacewings have an appetite for typical garden pests, and can help control the harmful population just by their presence. Alongside dirt-dwelling root protectors like select nematodes, springtails and beetles, a diversity of these bugs can help your landscape flourish with less intervention required on your end.

Typical earthworms, pill bugs and even slugs and snails (we know—not insects, but close friends of theirs), can help do more of the dirty work underground, aerating the soil and converting plant waste into nutritious soil.

The Harmful Bunch*

That asterisk is there for a reason. Read on.

The aphid—the name you probably hear the most—is feared with good reason. Weakening many native plants with their sap-feeding behaviors, aphids excrete a sticky substance fondly known as honeydew, and while not harmful to humans or pets, its eventual buildup can block sunlight and encourage mold growth around your garden.

Many forms of caterpillars are known to feed on fruits and plant tissue as well, often resulting in more wilting, yellowing or even the spread of disease. And while thrips are often attracted to brighter, more fragrant native plants, they’ve been known to attack all sorts of species, scarring their leaves and leaving noticeable discoloration in the event of an infestation.   

*Now for that asterisk. While aphids, caterpillars and thrips can all do serious damage to a landscape, they also can play a crucial role in attracting healthy bugs and balancing out your local ecosystem, serving as a handy food source. 

If you’re weary of the bugs you’ve got traipsing around the lawn, or simply are unsure of what’s out there, hop on the phone with us for a quick 15-minute consultation. We’ll schedule a time to take a good long look, and make recommendations for your specific property to find just the right balance of creepy crawlies.