Insects are generally thought to be a gardener's worst enemy.
The last thing you want is an infestation of bugs destroying the literal fruits of your labor.
And if your garden is organic, the toxic chemicals designed to kill these bugs are not an option.
What many new gardeners don't realize however, is that not all insects are bad news; many of them actually feed on the same bugs that threaten your crops.
Using these bugs to your advantage can help keep your garden healthy and free of pests.
Ladybugs are one of the most commonly used and well known "garden defenders" out there.
These pretty beetles have been known to feed on whiteflies, mites, cinch bugs, aphids, and many other garden pests.
An adult ladybug can eat up to 5,000 aphids during its life, and a single larva can feed on up to 50 aphids a day in its first 3 weeks.
Ladybugs can be purchased commercially or lured to your garden through the growth of angelica, caraway, cilantro, dill, fennel, tansy, wild carrot and yarrow.
Predator mites can also be used to control spider mites and two-spotted mites extremely effectively.
There are many species of predator mites available that are better suited to specific climates and environments so make sure that you purchase the correct predators for your situation.
These predator mites can command a high price, so give some of the cheaper beneficial bugs a try before you go ahead and decide to make the purchase.
If you do decide that they are for you, you can expect each predator mite to eat 1-3 adult mites a day or up to six eggs a day.
Aphid Lions, also known as Green Lacewings will feed on aphids and a number of other pests as well, but only as larvae.
These can be purchased as eggs and introduced to the problem area where they will hatch and feed for up to 3 weeks.
With Green Lacewing larvae, it is wise to purchase and release the eggs in multiple generations 3-4 times with 2 weeks between each new generation.
This guarantees that there will always be hungry larvae in your garden feeding on the pests that threaten it.
Trichogramma wasps are an extremely small parasitic wasp that is known to feed off the eggs of over 200 different worms and moths! Adult wasps lay their eggs within the eggs of these pests preventing them from ever hatching.
The adult wasps will then search for more eggs in which to lay the next generation of eggs eventually wiping out the threatening bugs from your garden completely.
There are various species of this wasp that target different pest eggs, so be sure to purchase the wasp that will most effectively target whichever pest it is that threatens your crops.
Stink bugs or Spined Soldier bugs will feed on armyworms, webworms and a number of different beetles in your vegetable garden.
When insect prey is unavailable the stink bugs will feed on plant sap, but this does not significantly harm the plants themselves, so don't worry if you see this happening.
Just take it as a sign that the threat has been lessened significantly if not eliminated.
You can purchase these bugs as well, or you can search the internet for instructions on how to build a stink bug trap with which to catch them.
Insect-Parasitic Nematodes are microscopic round worms that will seek and destroy many turf insects such as grubs, webworms and weevils.
These predators of soil-dwelling pests must be re-released each spring and rely on specific soil conditions and release methods to do their job effectively so pay close attention to the instructions that come with them.
Finally we have the Preying Mantis.
This ferocious hunter will hunt and feed on aphids, flies and beetles, but unfortunately may consume some of the beneficial insects which protect your garden as well.
One beneficial insect it will not eat is the lady bug, so if these are the only two insects you're using to protect your garden from pests you shouldn't have any trouble keeping both around and happy.