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
Insect Predators
 |  | Ant (Order: Hymenoptera) Elongate Twig Ant by Candice Hawkinson (MG ’06) |
.JPG) | .JPG) | Ant Lion (Order: Neuroptera) Ant Lion by Donya Camp (MG ’05) |
 |  | Ambush Bug (Order: Hemiptera) Jagged Ambush Bug by Betty Gray (MG ’06) |
.jpg) | .jpg) | 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) |
.jpg) | .jpg) | 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) |
 | .jpg) | 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) |
.jpg) |  | 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) |