Pests Who Have Met Their Match

Aside from the experienced professionals at JP Pest services, most insects have predators that naturally keep their numbers in check. Did you know that not every insect you see is bad? Some insects are beneficial to keep around because of their ability to reduce the populations of invasive insects.

These helpful predators exist in the following four categories:

Predatory Insects

Certain insect species survive purely by preying on other insects. These predators include beetles, spiders (not technically insects, but worth mentioning), wasps, lacewings, midges, true bugs, and some species of mites and flies. The presence of some of these insects around your location shouldn’t be alarming because they help control the population of invasive pests.

Of course, if their numbers grow out of control (you probably don’t want to be surrounded by swarms of wasps), if they work their way inside your building, or if they attack too many other beneficial species of insects, you should consider contacting pest control experts to eliminate them (and any other undesired pests) from your location.

Parasitoid Insects

Like predatory insects, parasitoids target other insects for survival. In their immature stage of life, parasitoids attach to another insect and live off it as a host. The host dies slowly as the young parasitoid feeds on it over time. Female parasitoids will also feed on eggs and younglings of other species as well.

Parasitoids breed quickly and can eliminate invasive species in a short period of time. They are often unnoticeable, so their population is generally not regarded as invasive.

Weed-Eating Insects

Homeowners and businesses with grass lawns and landscaping may find weeds to be a common problem. It can seem like a never-ending battle trying to remove weeds from your yard. One natural solution against weed population is to introduce weed-feeding insects. Since the majority of weeds in North America are actually invasive foreign plants, their best natural enemies are the insects from their areas of origin.

Weed-feeding insects are beneficial because they tend to favor specific species of plants, leaving the rest of your yard unharmed. They can exists in all kinds of climates and conditions, so they can help eliminate weeds year-round.

Pathogens

Natural organisms, such as bacteria, viruses, and fungi can devastate an invasive insect population. These pathogens may introduce themselves naturally as a population grows out of control. Pest control professionals also often use some insecticides composed of microbial pathogens. These natural insecticides usually leave beneficial species of insects unharmed, and pose no threat to other wildlife or humans.

Pathogens work slowly and sometimes need to be consumed by the invasive species to become effective. Pest control professionals will know when and how to apply microbial insecticides to maximize their effectiveness against invasive insects.

Do you have questions about whether an insect you found in your yard is invasive or beneficial? Dr.Gary, our certified entomologist provides free pest identification and can offer any necessary recommendations!