Good bugs are your pest control allies.

Of the more than one million types of insects in the world, less than 5 percent are harmful. Some insects can be nuisances but don’t cause plant damage. Beneficial (good) insects are important tools for managing insect pests in your yard. Almost every insect pest has one or more natural enemies that reduce its population when it gets out of control.

Beneficial insects are natural enemies against insect pests. They kill or reduce the number of bad insects in your yard. Learn to recognize them. These good guys will hang around your yard if you treat them well.

Image: Metin GULESCI, Leaf Tobacco, Bugwood.org

The balance between good and bad insects is critical to a healthy landscape. Most people are unaware of the relationship between good and bad insects in their yard until the relationship is disrupted, and insect pests begin eating their plants. A change in weather patterns, use of a pesticide or even removal of a shrub that provides cover can disrupt the balance between good and bad insects.

You can minimize this imbalance by keeping your plants vigorous and healthy throughout the year. Insect management does not mean killing every pest insect in your yard. Eliminating all pest insects reduces your population of beneficial insects. Pest insects attract the good insects that eat them. The key is to find a level you can tolerate and let nature take its course.

A young green praying mantis standing on a footpath eating a smaller insect.

Image: Chris Horne, Bugwood.org

Beneficial insects are available commercially for release into your garden. You must follow label directions carefully for good results. Insects released in your garden may not stick around if they find food, shelter or water elsewhere.

Two containers of live ladybugs for sale at the register of a Nursey plant store.

Image: Carrie Jensen, UNR Extension

Tips for boosting populations of good insects:

Plant more flowers. Flowers attract and provide nectar and shelter for good insects.
Provide a source of fresh water. A bird bath or shallow container of water will do the trick.
Use lures to attract good insects. Many use chemicals that emit the scent of a specific pest insect.
Use insecticides only as a last resort. They can kill your good insects.
Accept a level of pest insects that will attract more good insects. The beneficial insects need something to eat.
Know before you act. Identify the insect before you take action so you don’t do more harm than good.

These insects may look scary, but they are really your friends.

A small syrphid larvae eating aphids on a leaf.

It sips nectar, but the larva eats aphids, thrips, and other sucking insects.
Image: David Cappaert, Bugwood.org

An adult syrphid fly sipping nectar on an orange flower looks very much like a bee.

Don’t be fooled! This is a syrphid fly, not a wasp
Image: Whitney Cranshaw, Colorado State University, Bugwood.org

A young lady bug looks different than an adult with scales and strips.

The dragon-like larva of the adult ladybird beetle.
Image: Joseph Berger, Bugwood.org

A group of mixed adult and young lady bugs feed on a aphids on a garden plant.

A voracious aphid-eater
Image: Bruce Bosley, Colorado State University, Bugwood.org

An adult snakefly with a long body and lacey wings on perched on a plant leaf.

Both lacewings and snakeflies are voracious predators of aphids, making them excellent beneficial insects for garden pest control.
Image: David Leatherman, Colorado State Forest Service, Bugwood.org

A young lacewing hangs upside down from a leaf eating an aphid.

Their larvae look similar, with mandibles and elongated, flattened bodies, because they are closely related predators.
Image: David Cappaert, Bugwood.org

University of Nevada, Reno Extension The above information is based on a printed factsheet (Not All Bugs Are Bad) originally published in 2012.

Kratsch, H., Donaldson, S.,Hefner, M., Skelly, J. 2012, Not All Bugs Are Bad, Extension, University of Nevada, Reno, FS-12-24

Extension Associated Contacts

Carrie Jensen

Jennie Johnson

Heidi Kratsch

Also of Interest:


Insect Management Applying IPM strategies: Insect control can be split into these five separate categories. Hefner, M. 2019, Extension, University of Nevada, Reno
What Are Those Weird Bumps on My Fruit Tree? Understanding Kuno Scale Kuno scale is a common soft scale insect that often appears as small bumps on ornamental plum trees. This blog explains how to identify Kuno scale, understand its life cycle, recognize damage symptoms, and choose effective, timely management options. Andrews, M. 2026, University of Nevada, Reno Extension, Blog
What Should Gardeners Know About Ladybug Releases? The Pros and Cons A clear, balanced look at the pros and cons of releasing ladybugs for pest control. Learn why most bought ladybugs fly away, the ecological risks many gardeners overlook, and smarter, more sustainable ways to support beneficial insects in your garden. Jensen, C. 2026, University of Nevada, Reno Extension, Blogs
How to Identify Pests Using Your Phone When dealing with a pest problem, one of the first challenges is figuring out exactly what you’re up against. Many mobile apps and online tools allow you to take or upload a photo to get possible identifications. Jensen, C.; Johnson, J. 2025, Extension, University of Nevada, Reno, Blog
Winter Bird-Friendly Garden Tips Some tips for providing habitat for birds during the winter months. Creating a bird-friendly garden is a good way to provide wildlife habitat in urban and suburban areas. Plus, birds help keep lots of garden pests in check. Jensen, C. 2024, Extension, University of Nevada, Reno

Not All Bugs Are Bad