Wait! Don’t Kill That Bug!

We all know that insects can be pests when they get in places we don’t want them, like indoors, but not all insects are bad when they are where they belong. Before you call an exterminator, look at some beneficial insects that aren’t actually harmful to have around the garden.

Praying Mantises

According to master gardeners at Texas A&M, praying mantises are one of the apex predators in your garden and will eat everything from aphids to roaches to even snakes. Another wonderful thing about mantises is that they have no venom and cannot sting, so they are safe to be around.

Ladybugs

Ladybugs can be a nuisance if they invade your house, but as long as they are outside, they are experts in pest control. Ladybugs can eat over 5,000 aphids in their lifetime and consume mites, fruit flies, and other insects that will damage your plants. If ladybugs are in your home though, don’t hesitate to reach out to Ideal Partners, your local Fort Worth pest control provider, to have us remove them for you.

Spiders

Some spiders can be extremely dangerous. Here in North Texas, the Department of State Health and Human Services warns that you should watch out for black widows and brown recluse spiders, which have very toxic venoms. Not all spiders are dangerous though. Most common spiders like wolf spiders are harmless to humans and consume all sorts of pests. Another positive aspect about such spiders is that they eat bugs but don’t eat plants, which is rare. A final word of caution about spiders too; when in doubt, get away.

Bees

While it is never a good thing to have a beehive in your backyard, a healthy number of bees in your yard can be a positive for your plants. Bees are natural pollinators and do an excellent job of it. There are plenty of other reasons that bees are beneficial to our environment as well. Bees are nonaggressive to humans, but if you have a hive around your home or bees inside of your house, it would be best to call a local beekeeper.

The Takeaway

There is no reason for you to have to put up with bugs or pests inside of your home, but it is important to know that there are bugs that can be used to help maintain a healthy ecosystem around your home.
If you are having trouble with pests inside or around your home, visit Ideal Pest Control for a free estimate or to schedule an inspection to learn which pest treatment plan is right for you.