Beneficial Insects 

Beneficial Inspects can ward off pests and help pollinate your yard. While no garden is free of pests, you can help encourage more beneficial inspects into your yard to help keep down the damaging pest population.

• Attracting Beneficial Insects with Native Flowering PlantsMSU-Extension
  
  

	Cicada Killer Wasps (Sphecius speciosus) They are the largest wasp that occurs in Michigan. They occur in all states east of the Rocky Mountains and prefer to dig their burrows in sandy, bare, well-drained soil exposed to full sunlight. They are the largest wasp that occurs in Michigan. They are beneficial because they help reduce cicada populations and can also help pollinate plants.
	Ground Beetles (Carabidae) There are about 2,000 different species of ground beetles in North American. The ground beetles we encounter in the garden are nocturnal and they dig down into the mulch and other organic matter during the day. They help the garden by eating common garden pests like Caterpillars(and other insect larvae), Ants, Aphids, Maggots, Wireworms, and Slugs. A few species of ground beetles will also eat the seeds of invasive weeds such as lambs quarter, foxtail, ragweed, and thistle.
	Praying Mantis (Mantodea) The Praying Mantis is a most interesting and enjoyable beneficial insect to have around the garden. Praying Mantis has an enormous appetite and will eat avariety of aphids, leafhoppers, mosquitoes, caterpillars and other soft-bodiedinsects when young. Later theywill eat larger insects, beetles, grasshoppers, crickets, and other pestinsects. Praying mantises are large, solitary,slow moving, and predaceous insects that catch their prey with their front legs.
	Soldier Beetles (Cantharidae) Soldier beetles mainly feed on pollen and nectar. Because of their frequent contact with flowers, soldier beetles are important pollinators. They do not damage flowers or other plants and are harmless to people. There is no need to control them.