This article is going to help you recognize the good guys. Our discussion of beneficials would not be complete without mentioning something obvious that most of us have in our gardens--birds! They are easy to attract, beautiful to look at, enjoyable to listen to, and they are great predators too!

Scrub jays and mockingbirds eat caterpillars and grubs, and hummingbirds love aphids, which add much needed protein to their diet. There are lots more to help us — such as finches, weavers, etc....

To attract birds be sure to have a water source nearby, and plant a variety of plant material. Hummingbirds like any flowers with lots of nectar and bright colors. They are particularly fond of fuchsias, salvias, honeysuckles, and the like — we have many hummingbird-friendly plants here at the nursery. We'll show you how to create a garden for the birds!

Bees are also very important for our gardens. Without bees we could not have flowers or fruit. They're our pollinators.

If you're concerned about the Africanized bees (killer bees) which have had some publicity lately: they are usually only aggressive if their nests are disturbed, and have been found gathering pollen along with the friendly ones! It is wise to be aware of them, but not necessary to be afraid to garden!

A very helpful order of insects is the beetles (order coleoptera). Besides the ladybugs, there are two very helpful families.

1) Beetles of the family carabidae (ground beetles):
Most adults are brown or black, although a few are metallic blue or green. Some of the larger species can live for 2 to 4 years. Although most forage on insects found in or on the soil, some climb into trees, shrubs, and crop plants to hunt. Almost all of these feed on pests. My favorites are the beetles in the genus calosoma, which eat caterpillars. The next time you see a black beetle, don't step on it--it may be after the caterpillars that are eating your plants!

2) Beetles of the family cantharidae (soldier beetles):
Soldier beetles are colorful insects, often black or brown with red, yellow or orange. They are elongate and flat with long threadlike antennae. Adults are commonly found on flowers and foliage. The larvae have dark bristles which give them a velvety appearance. Some of these beetles are important predators of aphid pests. Soldier beetles are highly predacious in the larval stage. They live on the ground and feed on other insects including, snails, slugs, millipedes, earthworms, caterpillars, maggots, and grasshopper eggs.

In closing, here's an important reminder of careful and informed use of chemicals: if you choose to use them, please consult a nursery professional. If you decide to dispose of them, do so through an official toxic waste disposal--usually listed in your local newspaper or in the Yellow Pages.