Hi all. I have some questions about attracting beneficial insects to my garden. I've been getting the odd lacewing laying eggs on my plants, and noticed a ladybug munching on whitefly eggs/nymphs a few days ago that's also laid some eggs. Just looking to try to increase the amount I have around. I've read online that certain plants can help attract some beneficials, and that you can also make some sprays with most being a sugar solution to spray around to help attract as well. My first question is, my wife and I have a hummingbird feeder set up, will the hummingbird feed act as an attractant just like the sugar solution sprays? What other ways does anyone know of or use to increase the beneficial insects around the garden?Ā
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Questions about attracting beneficial insects
- Thread starter MeatHead1313
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I wish I knew as well. I had to buy ladybugs. They did their job and flew away.
I'm very close to buying some as well. Whiteflies are bad on my wife's eggplant, and they're starting to migrate to my peppers. Don't want to use any insecticides. Hoping there's a way to attract more lacewings and ladybugs so I can use the money on pots for my seedlings.
Call some nurseriesĀ and see if you can get some for free. (pots). That's what I did. Every one of them would not give any away then the very last one I visited I hit the jackpot and can get hundreds for free anytime. Ladybugs will be $10.00 for 1500.
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You may be able to find them at a Home Depot or Lowes. I found mine at ACE.
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You may be able to find them at a Home Depot or Lowes. I found mine at ACE.
Cool deal. Will give it a try. Thanks!
Plants that ladybugs like: carrot family, sunflower family, angelica, dill, fennel, goldenrod, yarrow, marigold, cosmos, sunflower, dandelion
Plants that lacewings like: angelica, red cosmos, coreopsis, tansy, goldenrod, queen anne's lace.
Plants to attract parasitic wasps: southern peas, fava beans, buckwheat
Plants to attract predatory wasps: daisies, oxeye, strawflower, black-eyed susan, goldenrod, yarrow
Tachnid flies are attracted to buckwheat
Assasin bugs are attracted to sunflowers
Many species of beneficial insect and especially dragonflies and damselflies live and breed in areas with standing water and wetland plants
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From: "Year Round Vegetables, Fruits and Flowers For Metro Houston" by Bob Randall, Ph.D
Plants that lacewings like: angelica, red cosmos, coreopsis, tansy, goldenrod, queen anne's lace.
Plants to attract parasitic wasps: southern peas, fava beans, buckwheat
Plants to attract predatory wasps: daisies, oxeye, strawflower, black-eyed susan, goldenrod, yarrow
Tachnid flies are attracted to buckwheat
Assasin bugs are attracted to sunflowers
Many species of beneficial insect and especially dragonflies and damselflies live and breed in areas with standing water and wetland plants
Ā
From: "Year Round Vegetables, Fruits and Flowers For Metro Houston" by Bob Randall, Ph.D