Beneficial Insects

Long before modern pesticides, scientists discovered that every pest in nature has a natural enemy — and ladybugs proved the point dramatically when they rescued California's citrus industry from collapse in the early 1900s. That breakthrough idea, bugs fighting bugs the way nature intended, laid the foundation for the sustainable pest control practices still used today. Since the 1980s, NaturesGoodGuys has carried that tradition forward, supplying beneficial insects to gardeners, farmers, and growers across all 48 continental states. Releasing ladybugs isn't just effective pest control — it's joining a community of growers committed to reducing pesticide use, supporting pollinators, and restoring natural balance to gardens and farms.

Beneficial nematodes are a powerful natural pest control tool, but their effectiveness depends on what else you're applying in your garden. This reference guide breaks down which common garden chemicals are fully compatible with nematodes, which require a one-week waiting period before introducing them, and which need two weeks to clear before it's safe to apply. When in doubt, checking the active ingredients on your product label, and cross-referencing this list, can make the difference between a successful application and a wasted one.

Find release and storage instructions for all NaturesGoodGuys beneficial insects in one place, including target pests, introduction rates, and application tips.

Clothes moths may be small, but their larvae can do serious damage to natural fiber, and traditional fixes like mothballs don't always get to the root of the problem. Trichogramma are microscopic parasitic wasps that work by locating moth eggs and laying their own eggs inside them, stopping larvae before they ever hatch. So tiny that five adults fit on a pencil tip, they're safe for use in closets, drawers, and storage spaces, leave no chemical residue, and are trusted by museums to protect antique textiles. Simply place the egg cards near infestations once a week during moth flight season, and over about 16 weeks you'll see a steady decline in activity. They work just as well outdoors against over 200 species of caterpillars and moths in the garden.

Applying beneficial nematodes is simpler than it sounds, and this post makes it even easier with step-by-step video guides for visual learners. Whether you're working with a hose-end sprayer for larger areas or a watering can for smaller spaces and indoor plants, the videos walk you through the process from start to finish to ensure your nematodes get applied correctly and effectively.

Getting beneficial nematodes into the soil correctly makes all the difference in how well they perform. This post points gardeners to NaturesGoodGuys' Beneficial Nematode YouTube playlist, which covers how to apply nematodes using a variety of methods, including hose-end sprayers for larger lawns and garden beds, and watering cans for smaller or indoor applications. A helpful starting point for anyone new to using nematodes for natural pest control.

That red beetle in your garden might not be the native ladybug you think it is. This detailed identification guide walks you through the three most common lady beetle species in North America: the native convergent lady beetle with its distinctive converging white lines, the seven-spotted lady beetle introduced from Europe with its perfectly consistent seven spots, and the highly variable Asian lady beetle identifiable by the black "M" or "W" marking on its pronotum. While all three are effective pest predators, the introduced species can outcompete native ladybugs over time. The post also covers best practices for releasing ladybugs, tips for attracting natives to your garden through plant diversity, and answers to the most frequently asked questions about lady beetle identification and behavior.

Cooler fall temperatures may slow some pests down, but they don't eliminate them, and as long as pests are active, beneficial insects can still do their job. This post highlights four of the best beneficial insects to deploy in the fall garden: green lacewing larvae for tackling aphids, mites, and whiteflies on cool-weather crops; ladybugs for a last push against aphids and scale insects before winter; Trichogramma for controlling caterpillars and moths both in the garden and indoors; and beneficial nematodes for targeting soil-dwelling pests like grubs and fungus gnat larvae below the surface. A fall release not only protects your current harvest but helps set up a healthier garden come spring.!

Ladybugs are one of the most effective and beginner-friendly tools in organic pest control, capable of consuming up to 50 aphids a day while also targeting spider mites, mealybugs, and other soft-bodied pests. This introductory guide covers everything a first-time user needs to know — from setting up the right habitat and ensuring a water source, to the best time of day for release (dawn or dusk), how to introduce them to your plants, and what to expect through their lifecycle from larvae to adult. A few pro tips on monitoring pest populations and scheduling maintenance releases round out this practical, chemical-free approach to keeping your garden in balance.

Predatory mites are highly effective at controlling spider mites and thrips, but applying the wrong chemical at the wrong time can wipe them out before they even get started. This comprehensive reference guide breaks down chemical compatibility by specific predatory mite species — Swirskii, Andersoni, Californicus, Cucumeris, Persimilis, and Hypoaspis Miles — listing which active ingredients can be used safely alongside each one, and which require a minimum two-week waiting period before introducing mites. As always, checking the active ingredients on product labels (rather than trade names) is the key to using this guide accurately.

Learn how to use these gentle pollinators and their “aphid lion” larvae to control aphids, whiteflies, and other soft-bodied pests at every life stage, with practical tips for choosing, releasing, and maintaining lacewing populations in gardens, greenhouses, and houseplants.