NC State Extension Master GardenerSM Volunteers of Buncombe County

Beneficial Insects

Swarming Bees in April

It’s spring, and birds are rushing worms and bugs back to their open-mouthed hatchlings.  Fields are dotted with cows, sheep, and  goats nursing their young new generations of life; both plant and animal abound.  But for honeybees, reproducing is not about the queen laying eggs and raising more bees.

courtesy of Kansas State University Extension Entomology Department
courtesy of Kansas State University Extension Entomology Department

Honeybees are a fascinating example of a highly social insect where the entire colony of 10,000 to 50,000 bees is just one super organism.  Honeybees reproduce by splitting the single colony into two colonies and they do that by swarming.

April is the height of ‘swarm season’ when large, healthy colonies send out the old, original queen with about half of the population to find a new home. A new queen is raised in the original hive . . . and voila–two colonies.

But many swarms die in the wild, so if you see a honeybee swarm (a tight ‘ball’ of bees hanging in a tight cluster, sometimes from trees, but they will also cling to any fixed object like picnic benches, fences, automobile fenders)  –  call the Extension office ( 828/255-5522) and we will give you numbers for local beekeepers eager to capture it.

Note:  Since honeybees only sting to defend their home, swarms generally are quite harmless. The bees are much less defensive, plus they are stuffed full of honey that they packed for their trip to a new hive and cannot physically flex to sting you.

Article written by Diane Almond, Extension Master Gardener Volunteer.

Beneficial Insects

In our gardens we have both beneficial and harmful insects and it’s important that we differentiate between them.  Indiscriminate use of a pesticide – too much, wrong material or wrong timing – can harm our garden more than help it.

Pollinators, of course, are indispensible. Other beneficial insects fall in two categories, predators like Lady Bug beetles which feed on various aphids and other small insects., and parasitoids.

Parasitoids are species whose immature stage develops on or within a single insect host, ultimately killing the host. The large green tomato hornworm caterpillar that can quickly defoliate a plant.  Sometimes they appear to have many small white cocoons growing from them. That means that a tiny wasp bored into the worm’s  body to lay her eggs and the larvae have been devouring the caterpillar from within. They’re getting ready to hatch and continue their beneficial work.

And then there’s the praying mantis that devour anything they encounter, good or bad, so their net contribution is probably negligible. But they’re interesting to have around so most of us call them friends, not foes.

Bottom line:  gardeners should identify any insect before they take any action. A good insect identification guide is an important tool to have in the shed.

The following is a short list of beneficial insects commonly found in the garden and landscape (courtesy of NCSU.edu):
Assassin bugs prey on aphids, caterpillars, beetles, leafhoppers,and other insects. They do not like to be handled.
AssassinBug2
Big-eyed bugs attack spider mites, thrips, aphids and other insect eggs.
 BigEyedBugs
Damsel bugs resemble assassin bugs. They feed on aphids, leafhoppers, mites and caterpillars.
 DamselBugs
Green lacewing, or aphid lion, is known to eat as many as 600 aphids.
GreenLacewings
Ground beetles are large, dark, and sometimes metallic.They feed along the ground on soft-bodied insects, especially at night.
 GroundBeetles
Lady beetle adults and larvae attack aphids, mites, insect eggs and small insects.
Lady Beetles
Micro- and mini- parasitic wasps can sting and lay eggs in caterpillars, aphids or insect eggs. The larvae consume their prey from within.
 TinyParasiticWasps
Praying mantis have a good reputation, but eat relatively few insects in the garden.
 Praying Mantis
Many stink bugs are pests, but predaceous stink bugs feed on beetles and caterpillars, both as adults and colorful nymphs.
PredaciousStinkBugs
Predatory mites move rapidly to catch and feed on their plant-eating counterparts. They are often white, tan, or orange.
PredatoryMites
Soldier beetle adults resemble fireflies and are attracted to milkweed, hydrangea, and goldenrod.  They eat aphids, caterpillars, mites, grasshopper eggs, and small beetles.
SoldierBeetles
The harmless Syrphid fly adults resemble bees, but the small larvae consume many aphids.
 SyrphidFlies
Minute pirate bugs attack thrips, spider mites, aphids and small insects.
 MinutePirateBug
Heavily bristled Tachinid flies lay eggs on caterpillars, beetle larvae, and bugs.
 TachinidFlies
Though often considered pests, these wasps and/or hornets feed heavily on caterpillars, flies, and other soft-bodied insects.
 WaspsHornets
Article written by Glenn Palmer, Extension Master Gardener Volunteer.

Contact Us

N.C. Cooperative Extension
Buncombe County Center
49 Mount Carmel Road
Asheville, NC 28806
Helpline 828-255-5522

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