Syrphid flies are beneficial garden insects. Their larvae eat both insects and fungi, depending on the species. And adult hover flies are proficient pollinators around the earth. You will commonly see this tiny fly collecting nectar on flowers in your garden. Adult hover flies collect both pollen and nectar. And hover flies are one of …
What are those bugs in your milkweed garden? Are milkweed bugs ‘good’ or ‘bad’ bugs? Why are they only on milkweed? If you found long red and black bugs, then you probably found one of two types of milkweed bugs. There are two types of milkweed bugs: Large Milkweed Bug (LMB for short) and Small …
The tachinid fly is one of many beneficial insect predators in your garden. But they are also harmful to monarchs. But if you are raising monarch caterpillars, the tachinid fly is an enemy. Tachinid flies lay their eggs on monarch eggs and caterpillars. Once the egg is laid, that monarch is as good as dead. …
Ladybug larva has often been confused as a harmful pest, especially when spotted on a milkweed plant. Sometimes the furry ladybug caterpillar gets squished, thinking that it is dangerous to garden plants. Monarch eggs are distinctive from ladybug eggs. Monarch eggs are white in color and laid one at a time. Ladybug eggs, in contrast, …
How long does the metamorphosis from monarch egg to adult butterfly take? In this guide, you’ll learn about the four stages and the five instars of the monarch life cycle. The images and descriptions will help determining the instar of each monarch caterpillar you discover. The five stages (instars) of a Monarch butterfly take roughly …
Ladybugs are beetle members of the Coccinellidae family. There are thousands of species, and it’s easy to confuse the native ladybug with other beetle species. Like the Asian lady beetles and the Japanese beetle. Here’s how to tell them apart: Ladybug vs Asian lady beetle vs Japanese beetle. Asian lady beetles are a type of ladybug …
Wasps are incredible architects that rid our yard of harmful pests and help pollinate our plants. But it is concerning to find a wasp nest. Here are 6 types of wasp nests and which species make them. Photos to help with wasp nest identification. And answers to common questions. Wasps make nests from wood fiber …
Cicada killers or ground hornets are wasps that make their homes in the ground. These wasps have the scientific name Sphecius speciosus. Their primary benefit is that they maintain control over the cicada population. Because of this, they live near the trees where cicadas feed. Guide to Ground Hornets In this guide, you’ll learn all …