Nature’s Little Helpers: Eight Bugs That Will Make Your Garden Happy

Ladybugs are probably the most famous "gardener's helper" of them all!

These colorful polka-dotted beetles are considered good luck, and are beloved by gardeners because they snack on plant-eating aphids that ruin gardens.

In order to attract ladybugs, try planting some bright-blooming coreopsis in your garden.

You'll know lacewings by their delicate wings and vibrant green color.

Don't be fooled by their dainty appearance, though —these insects are voracious eaters and are often used as a form of all-natural pest control.

You can release them into your garden to tackle aphids, and keep them there by planting things like angelica, which has long stalks and small delicate blossoms.

These red-and-black-patterned insects come by their name honestly; they're definitely warriors!

These guys are indiscriminate chowhounds, and will eat everything from caterpillars to larvae.

To keep them happy in your garden, plant something pollen-rich like hydrangea to help them supplement their diet.

Not to be confused with damsel flies, these leggy brown bugs can be identified by their long, narrow bodies and pale beige color.

Like their cousins, the praying mantis, these guys will make a meal of fellow insects, including aphids and various tree mites.

These guys are particularly helpful for vegetable gardens and agriculture, because they love to hang out in alfalfa plants, which provide good cover for them.

If you're like me, you probably don't think of wasps as the "good guys," but these black-and-red insects might make you reconsider.

Unlike their more aggressive cousins, braconids rarely sting humans.

On the other hand, they're exceptionally tough on plant-destroying caterpillars, whom they use as hosts for eggs and kill in the process.

These insects are drawn to lacy plants that grow small flowers, like the herb dill.

You probably now ground beetles as the harmless, glossy black insects that like to skitter around rocks and rotting wood.

While they are harmless to us, lots of smaller bugs might feel differently about these predators, especially moth caterpillars, their favorite meal.

To keep these guys around, give them a ground cover near your garden, like a fragrant bed of white clover.

If you enjoy a little bit of honey in your tea, you probably already love honeybees and the important services they perform for us!

These busy, buzzy bugs don't just have good taste; they are also actively responsible for pollinating lots of flowers, and helping to diversify your garden and keep it healthy.

Thank them for their many good deeds by planting bright, nectar-rich flowers like cosmos that will make your honeybee helpers happy!

Tachinid flies look just like most ordinary house flies, with big eyes and fluttering wings.

The larvae of these flies are voracious eaters, and dine on caterpillar pests that might otherwise eat up the garden.

Once they're full-grown, they also like to eat pollen, so consider planting some hyssop to keep them well-fed and happy in your garden!

If you plan to make the acquaintance of a few of these helpful insects this spring, make sure to SHARE for fellow gardeners!