While common pests like mosquitoes and houseflies do little more than spread disease, contamination, and painful stings, other insects help provide natural pest control by feeding on the annoying pests that are a general nuisance to your property. In addition to helping control nuisance pest populations, such beneficial insects also help the environment by aiding pollination and reducing the use of chemical pesticides. Here are some beneficial insects that can help prevent or eliminate nuisance pest infestations on your Pittsburgh property.
Common Beneficial Insects and Natural Pest Control Providers
- Bees – One of the most beneficial insects, bees search for food to take back to their young while simultaneously collecting and carrying pollen to and from flowering plants. While not predators, bees are equipped with stingers that they use to defend themselves and their queen.
- Wasps – Adult wasps lay their eggs in the body or eggs of pests, including caterpillars, aphids, beetle larvae and sawflies. As the wasp larvae grow, they feed on and kill pests. These parasitic wasps also tend to be specialists that attack a single host species.
- Tachinid Flies – Adult tachinid flies lay their eggs near, on or inside pests such as caterpillars, grasshoppers, some beetles and sawfly larvae. Once the eggs from these flies turn into larvae, they feed on and kill the pests.
- Syrphid Flies –Larvae from these flies search for and eat soft-bodied insects. Adult syrphid flies eat pollen and nectar. They also help with pollination.
- Spiders –These predators feed on a wide variety of insects and mites. Some spiders stalk and hunt insects, while others weave webs to trap insects. Spiders are also often one of the most important biological control agents of garden pests.
- Predatory Mites – These mites feed on pest mites, scales, thrips and insect eggs. These predatory mites can also limit pest problems in your yard or garden.
- Predatory Bugs – Predatory bugs feed on pests by piercing their prey and sucking out body fluids. Common predatory bugs include assassin bugs, big-eyed bugs, minute pirate bugs, damsel bugs and predatory stink bugs.
- Mantids – These insects are commonly found in gardens. They tend to wait for foraging insects on flowers, capturing them and holding prey.
- Lady Beetles – Also known as ladybugs, the larvae of these predators eat soft-bodied pests, scales, spider mites, mealybugs, thrips and whiteflies.
- Insect Parasitic Nematodes – These soil-dwelling organisms can infect and kill a variety of insect hosts.
- Ground Beetles – Ground beetles are usually found under debris, in soil cracks or moving quickly along the ground. They typically feed on soil-dwelling insects, caterpillars, millipedes, slugs and snails.
- Green Lacewings – The larvae of lacewings are vicious predators that feed on small caterpillars, beetles and soft-bodied insects.
- Rove Beetles – The larvae of rove beetles seek out and eat the larvae of root maggots.
- Soil Invertebrates – These organisms break down soil by feeding on decaying plant matter, fungi and algae. Some common types of soil invertebrates include springtails and earthworms.
- Pathogens – Some varieties of fungi, bacteria, nematodes and viruses can help regulate the number of pests.
Pittsburgh’s Natural Pest Control Experts
Instead of introducing beneficial insects to your property to help eliminate nuisance pests, rely on the effective, safe and affordable pest control services provided by the experts at Critter Control® of Pittsburgh to permanently remove invasive pests and their nests from your home or business. Call 412-767-4067 today to schedule your inspection and receive a free estimate for our fast and efficient natural pest control services.