Insect Houses: How to Make Butterflies and Beetles Work for You

Entomophagous insects are an environmentally friendly and beneficial method of pest control for both plants and nature. A distinctive feature of these creatures is their mobility. They crawl, run, and fly, attracting gardeners' attention in any way possible. These predatory insects are lured into the garden by plants with vibrant, lush blooms. These can range from cultivated flowers in clusters to weeds.

Common beneficial insects

It would be wrong not to mention the ladybug, a small, round beetle measuring up to 1 centimeter, which is also the most popular entomophage.

Adults can overwinter without burrowing underground, in grass or fallen leaves. They lay 10–20 eggs in the spring near aphid habitats, as ladybugs most often feed on leaf aphids, and less frequently on armored aphids.

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Gall midges are a common pest for gardeners, as they lay their eggs on leaves, causing galls to form. Therefore, it's important to pay attention to the type of gall midge. For example:

• A small female Aphidoletes aphidimyza can lay 50 to 60 eggs in her lifetime, which is approximately 1 week, as close to the aphid colonies as possible;
• When the hatched larvae attack the pests, the aphids die.

The pear variety of the gall midge is a pest. They are small, ranging from 0.1 to 0.5 centimeters.

The spider mite problem in your garden can be easily solved by the stethorus, a very small beetle, 0.1–0.15 centimeters in size. You can spot it by:

• the shine of miniature wings;
• high mobility.

A single individual destroys over eight hundred pests and their larvae in its lifetime. Stetorus worms congregate in areas where spider mites are abundant, as their prey—often raspberries.

The parasitic parasite wasp, which resembles a wasp with its striped, elongated abdomen and long wings, is responsible for the destruction of almost all types of parasites: aphids, cabbage white caterpillars, and fly larvae. The larvae hatch from eggs within the pest's body, which becomes food for them. Each female can infest over 180 aphids.

Breeding of entomophages

It is important to know that beneficial insects, particularly entomophages, have several individual characteristics:

• To interest them, you should pay attention to bright, flowering plants;
• phytophages are the prey of entomophages, but not a means of attracting their attention;
• They can only destroy the type of parasite that served as their development site.

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Some entomophagous species can survive and actively reproduce only by feeding on plant nectar and insects. Therefore, even in fields where agricultural crops are grown, there are a small number of pests and nectar-bearing weeds.

Rosemary, oregano, and marigolds can be planted as vibrant flowers. Several other crops will have a positive impact on both beneficial insects and soil health:

• Buckwheat promotes the formation of the humus layer of the soil and increases the amount of organic matter there;
• caraway will be very useful if you need to attract lacewings, bugs, and hoverflies;
• It is important to pay attention to the honey plant, which attracts pollinators, hoverflies and ladybugs;
• Spiders, small wasps, and ladybugs are interested in fragrant dill.

Insect houses

Insect houses, or insect houses, are becoming increasingly popular and are a good solution for maintaining a sufficient number of beneficial insects in a given area. A beetle hotel is a place, structure, or collection of materials where beneficial insects can live.

An insect house can be built from bundles of brushwood, modestly scattered around the area. However, if you prefer, a uniquely designed hotel made of wood or any natural material is a good idea.

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There are several rules for building hotels:

• the house should be made bird-proof, otherwise it will turn into a bird feeder;
• do not use leaves as a filler, as pathogenic fungi can develop in them, and insects will spread them throughout the garden;
• Unsecured filler can easily scatter or fall out of the home, so it is necessary to secure it;
• It is prohibited to use coniferous wood and synthetic materials for construction;
• Wind, snow, and rain will not be scary for bugs if the shelter has walls and a roof.

By wisely attracting entomophages to your garden, you can protect your plants from pests. They are safe and, unlike pesticides, non-toxic.