4 Beneficial Bugs For Your Houseplants
Finding pests on my houseplants makes me dizzy.
Just the fear of knowing that they could be on all your other plants, and for someone like me, who has a multitude of plants – treating all of my plants of pests, is good old nightmare fuel.
So, why would you want to add more bugs to your plants?
Well, I have a little secret to share, and you may not like it. But there are bugs out there that can be beneficial to your plants and here are 4 beneficial bugs for your houseplants that will combat those pesky pests.
Beneficial Bugs For Your Houseplants: Predatory Mites
I don’t know about you – but when I hear ‘mites’ I cringe. If you have had a run in with spider mites on your plants, you can relate to this reaction.
Predatory mites are very different. They do look almost identical to spider mites, being just a little larger in size, so they can be mistaken as so.
Why Are They Beneficial?
Predatory mites are like a heard of hungry soldiers going into battle.
They attack (and eat) some of the most annoying pest such as spider mites, thrips, and even some other small pest you might have hanging out. Clearing the way for your plants to become pest free.
The only downside to these guys is if you release more mites than you have pests, they might start to munch on your plants as well by sucking out the nectar from the leaves.
Beneficial Bugs For Your Houseplants: Ladybugs
Who doesn’t love a ladybug?
Most people who have a bug fear – like I do, aren’t as afraid of a Ladybug. They’re just so harmless and cute!
Be careful though…
Well, don’t just pick up any ladybug and add them on your plants. Be sure you adopt Ladybird beetles.
Ladybird beetles look just like their evil twins, the Asian ladybug.
Dun dun dunnn.
While, both ladybugs have the same plant benefits, the Asian Ladybugs can actually bite you and can swarm your space inviting all their friends to join, which can leave you with a bigger problem.
Ladybird and the Asian ladybug look so alike it’s hard to tell them apart, unless you look closely. The Asian ladybug is a bit larger in size, compared to the Ladybird. The Asian beetle also will have a longer ovalish shape to them verses the perfectly round bodies of the Ladybird. Ladybird’s also will always be that recognizable bright red color with black polka dots, where the Asian ladybug can range from red to orange.
The easiest way to tell them apart is the ‘M’ on the head of the Asian Ladybug (pictured above).
Why Are They Beneficial?
Ladybird ladybugs are pretty peaceful. They are hungry little things. Ladybirds go from one plant to the next looking for any soft-bodied bugs like aphids and mealybugs to devour. They’ll crawl all over your plants sniffing out their pray.
They can be really helpful in finding if you even have a pest problem, and might even take care of it before you even know you had one.
Basically they’re your very own tiny houseplant watch dog.
Beneficial Bugs For Your Houseplants: Green Lacewing
This beneficial bug is probably the prettiest on this list?
Lacewings are long lime green flying bugs that have wings that look like lace (hence the name). This bugs benefits for plants is pretty identical to the ladybug.
Which mean this one also has an evil twin as well…
Muahhahaahaa
Well, more like an ugly cousin. The lace bug is very different from the lacewing. Both have a lace-like look to their wings, but both differ in size, color, and benefits. The lace bug is a brownish gray bug with red eyes (pictured above).
So, defiantly evil.
The lace bug will cause massive destruction on your plants, but they are very easy to differentiate to the lacewing.
Why Are They Beneficial?
Lacewings are beneficial because they (like the ladybug) crawl around on your plants waiting to gobble up some pesky pests.
On the menu for these guys are thrips, spider mites, aphids, whiteflies, and mealybugs just to name a few. There are only a few pests these guys won’t eat.
Beneficial Bugs For Your Houseplants: Springtails
Have you ever examined your soil to find teeny tiny grayish/yellow bugs jumping and crawling around?
You may want to drop your insecticides for a second.
Springtails almost microscopic, which makes them pretty hard to see with the naked eye. They are a grayish, almost white looking against the dark complexion of the soil, so their coloring can make it easier to see.
They are little critters that live in the soil. When disturbed, they do jump or spring upward (hence the name) using well, their tails.
Real original name…
They are not harmful to the plant or to humans. They don’t sting or bite, so they cause no threat to us.
Why Are They Beneficial?
Springtails are pretty beneficial to plants due to the fact that they eat up all kinds of fungi, algae and any decaying matter that can be harmful to a plant. Many fungi can lead to diseases that can ultimately kill a plant.
They like to live in damp soil, which could be the reason these guys can be helpful with root rot problems. They are also helpful in cycling in decaying organic matter into the soil, which acts as a fertilizer and improves the health of the soil and the plant.
Springtails colonies, like any bugs can become large overtime. Keep an eye out every few months to make sure your plants aren’t being over run by them. The can grow into large colonies that can, in return start to damage plants due to the lack of food supply for the numbers.
If you spot a few here and there, it’s ok. Just keep a look out of your plants to make sure they’re doing ok. It’s always a good rule of thumb to not always check on the leaves or stems of plants, but to make sure you check their soil and roots.
They Do The Dirty Work For Us
If you have a major outbreak of pests these methods may not eradicate the problem. When you have a big pest problem, you may need to take out the handy dandy neem oil and insect killing soap. If you do have these good bugs on your plants, using any type of solutions will kill them along side the pests.
Finding bugs anywhere on your plant is very worrisome. But keep in mind that not all bugs are bad, and can be very helpful. These bugs are completely harmless to us and (for the most part) to our plant babies.
Just like in nature, there are pests that will harm plants, but then there are some bugs that will eat those pests. It’s called the circle of life.
Have you used any of these beneficial bugs on your plants? If not, which ones would you try?
Adding these guys bugging you out? Check out my blog Common Houseplant Pests & How To Get Rid Of Them for other ways to get rid of annoying pests.