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Home > Beneficials in the Garden and Landscape

Beneficials in the Garden and Landscape

We love ladybugs, don’t ya know…
    they eat bad bugs, so plants can grow.

Not all insects (and other critters) in the garden and landscape are bad guys. On these pages you can learn about some of the “bugs” and other garden visitors that you may want to attract, maintain or at least leave be, so they can do their jobs of helping to control the truly bad guys. Conservation of beneficials is an important component of pest control utilizing Integrated Pest Management (IPM) practices.

All images (with the exception of two) are copyrighted by the Galveston County Master Gardener Association (GCMGA) and were captured in the Galveston-Houston area. These images are for educational use only and may not be used for any non-educational or commercial purpose without written permission from GCMGA. 

Introduction and Purpose

All of Nature is Connected by Candice Hawkinson (MG ’06)
Types of Beneficials by Betty Gray (MG ’06)
“Good Bugs” vs. “Bad Bug” A Reality Check by Betty Gray (MG ’06)
Attracting Beneficials by Donya Camp (MG ’05)
Insect Metamorphosis by Candice Hawkinson (MG ’06)
Scientific Names by Donya Camp (MG ’05)
Definitions for Insect Terms
Our MG Writers and MG Photographers by Donya Camp (MG ’05)
Our Insect Collections by Donya Camp (MG ’05)
The MG Specialist in Entomology Program by Donya Camp (MG ’05)
Acknowledgements by Donya Camp (MG ’05)
E-mail Your Comments. We welcome your input.

Insect Predators

Ant  (Order: Hymenoptera)

Elongate Twig Ant
by Candice Hawkinson (MG ’06)
Ant Lion (Order: Neuroptera)

Ant Lion
by Donya Camp (MG ’05)
Ambush Bug  (Order: Hemiptera)

Jagged Ambush Bug
by Betty Gray (MG ’06)
Assassin Bug  (Order: Hemiptera)

Bee Assassin Bug
by Candice Hawkinson (MG ’06)
Assassin Bug (Order: Hemiptera)

Horned Assassin Bug
by Betty Gray (MG ’06)
Assassin Bug  (Order: Hemiptera)

Leafhopper Assassin Bug
by Candice Hawkinson (MG ’06)
Assassin Bug  (Order: Hemiptera)

Milkweed Assassin Bug
by Candice Hawkinson (MG ’06)
Assassin Bug  (Order: Hemiptera)

Rough Stink Bug
by Candice Hawkinson (MG ’06)
Assassin Bug (Order: Hemiptera)

Wheel Bug
by Candice Hawkinson (MG ’06)
Beetle (Order: Coleoptera)

Eyed Elater
by Betty Gray (MG ’06)
Damselfly (Order: Odonata)

Damselflies
by Candice Hawkinson (MG ’06)
Dragonfly (Order: Odonata)

Dragonflies
by Larry Baker (MG ’92)
Firefly (Order: Coleoptera)

Lightning Bug / Firefly
by Linda Brown (MG ’04)
Harvestmen / Daddylonglegs (Order: Opiliones)

Harvestmen
by Candice Hawkinson (MG ’06)
Lacewings (Order: Neuroptera)

Green Lacewing
by Linda Ornburn (MG ’05)
Lady Beetle (Order: Coleoptera)

Lady Beetles: General Overview
by Betty Gray (MG ’06)
Lady Beetle (Order: Coleoptera)

Mealybug Destroyer
by Betty Gray (MG ’06)
Lady Beetle (Order: Coleoptera)

Twice-stabbed Lady Beetle
by Betty Gray (MG ’06)
Lizard

Geckos
by Linda Brown (MG ’04)
Lizard

Green Anole
by Linda Brown (MG ’04)
Lizard

Skink Lizards
by Linda Brown (MG ’04)
Mantid (Order: Mantodea)

Praying Mantis
by Betty Gray (MG ’06)
Owlfly (Order: Neuroptera)

Owlfly
by Candice Hawkinson (MG ’06)
Spider

Spiders: General Overview
by Candice Hawkinson (MG ’06)
Spider

Banana Spider
by Candice Hawkinson (MG ’06)
Spider

Black and Yellow Argiope
by Candice Hawkinson (MG ’06)
Spider

Green Lynx Spider
by Candice Hawkinson (MG ’06)
Spider

Spiny Orb Weaver Spider
by Candice Hawkinson (MG ’06)
Tiger Beetles (Order: Coleoptera)

Tiger Beetles
by Candice Hawkinson (MG ’06)
True Flies (Order: Diptera)

Hover/Syrphid/Flower Flies
by Candice Hawkinson (MG ’06)
True Flies (Order: Diptera)

Mydas Fly (Mydas clavata)
by  Donya Camp (MG ’05)
True Flies (Order: Diptera)

Mydas Fly (Mydas chrysostomus)
by Donya Camp (MG ’05)
True Flies (Order: Diptera)

Robber Flies
by Betty Gray (MG ’06)
True Flies (Order: Diptera)

Texas Long-legged Flies
by Betty Gray (MG ’06)
Wasp (Order: Hymenoptera)

Paper Wasp
by Donya Camp (MG ’05)
Water Bug  (Order: Hemiptera)

Giant Water Bug
by Betty Gray (MG ’06)

Insect Predators with Bad Reputations: Can Bad Bugs Do Good?

Land Planarium

Land Planarium
by Eileen Linton (MG ’06)
Ant (Order: Hymenoptera)

Red Imported Fire Ants
by Trish McDaniel (MG ’01)

Insect Parasitoids

Wasp (Order: Hymenoptera)

Braconid Wasp on Hornworms
by Betty Gray (MG ’06)
Wasp (Order: Hymenoptera)

Braconid Wasp on Aphids
by Betty Gray (MG ’06)
Wasp  (Order: Hymenoptera)

Cicada Killer Wasp
by Gayle McAdoo (MG ’05)
Wasp (Order: Hymenoptera)

Ensign Wasp
by Donya Camp (MG ’05)
Wasp (Order: Hymenoptera)

Great Golden Digger Wasp
by Candice Hawkinson (MG ’06)
Wasp (Order: Hymenoptera)

Ichneumonid Wasps: An Overview
by Candice Hawkinson (MG ’06)
Wasp  (Order: Hymenoptera)

Potter Wasp
by Eileen Linton (MG ’06)
Wasp  (Order: Hymenoptera)

Red and Black Mason Wasp
by Eileen Linton (MG ’06)

Pollinators

The Basics

Pollination & Pollinators: The Basics
by Candice Hawkinson (MG ’06)
Bumble Bees (Order: Hymenoptera)

Bumble Bees
by Deborah Rankin (MG ’07)
Carpenter Bees (Order: Hymenoptera)

Carpenter Bees
by Deborah Rankin (MG ’07)
Butterflies (Order: Lepidoptera)

Butterflies
by Candice Hawkinson (MG ’06)
Moths (Order: Lepidoptera)

Moths
by Candice Hawkinson (MG ’06)
Honey Bees (Order: Hymenoptera)

Honey Bees
by Deborah Rankin (MG ’07)
Hummingbirds

Hummingbirds
by Candice Hawkinson (MG ’06)
True Flies (Order: Diptera)

True Flies
by Betty Gray (MG ’06)

Recyclers / Decomposers

Beetle (Order: Coleoptera)

Ox or Elephant Beetle
by Candice Hawkinson (MG ’06)
Earthworms

Earthworms
by Linda Brown (MG ’04)
Psocid (Order: Psocoptera)

Barklice (Archipsocus sp.)
by Jane Corbett (MG ’05)
Psocid (Order: Psocoptera)

Barklice (Cerastipsocus sp.)
by Jane Corbett (MG ’05)
True Flies (Order: Diptera)

Black Soldier Fly
by Candice Hawkinson (MG ’06)
True Flies (Order: Diptera)

Crane Flies
by Judy Poorman (MG ’05)
True Flies (Order: Diptera)

Lovebugs
by Herman Auer (MG ’83)
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