Insects walk the fine line between friend and enemy. As much as we want to put them on trial for their scream-inducing and creepy qualities, pests play an essential role in our ecosystem. Here’s a list of our favorite frenemies, and for a little extra fun, we figured we would let them present their defense.
Wasps:
Although I can deliver an undoubtedly painful punch when you threaten my nest, there is much more to me than just my dreaded stinger. Formally, I’m known as Vespula Pennsylvanica, but you can call me Wasp. As a natural scavenger, I like to snack on other insects, like crop-damaging caterpillars and flies. Some of my distant cousins also play an essential role in pollination. And even though I don’t expect an invite to your next BBQ, I help reduce the number of other pests likely to crash the festivities. Plus, who can rock a yellow jacket as well as I can?
Millipede:
While my segmented and twisted body, eerie appearance, and up to 200 pairs of legs are enough to send chills up any spine, the benefits of my herbivore diet should not be overlooked. I’m not bragging, but I am one of nature’s best composters. I find rotting vegetation particularly delicious, and the shredded plant material I create becomes food for environmentally beneficial fungi, bacteria, and other tiny organisms. If you let me live in your compost pile, I can easily convert decaying plants into organic matter that will keep your garden thriving for years.
Predatory Stink Bugs:
Sometimes I have a little trouble keeping my body odor in check, but did you know I keep plant-damaging insects out of your garden? Caterpillars, sawfly larvae, and grubs are my meal of choice, but as a generalist feeder, any more minor bug will do (my kin included). I must kindly ask that you do not confuse me with my more inconsiderate, common stink bug relatives who damage their fair share of plants and flowers. You can distinguish me by my dark blue or black coloring and the two red spots at the top corners of my triangular-shaped back.
Dung Beetle:
Now, I understand that my name doesn’t give you all that much confidence in what I do, but there are many benefits to my excretory practices. Along with keeping pastures tidy (in some parts of Texas, I consume as much as 80% of all droppings left by cattle), I am particularly apt at controlling the fly population. My roles in the pasture ecosystem also include soil aeration, reducing water contamination and algal blooms, and increasing soil fertility.
Just because we understand the value of insects doesn’t mean you should have to live with an infestation. We highly recommend having a trusted pest control company on speed dial. Contact ABC for Houston pest control or Orlando Pest Control for any pest control needs, and leave beneficial bugs to do their part only in the wild.