How to Attract Beneficial Insects

Very few garden insects are bad bugs. Many of the bugs in our gardens are beneficial insects that can make your gardening easier. When you attract beneficial insects to your garden you encourage a natural approach to garden pest management. Adding a variety of flowers is a good start and providing food, water, and shelter can help you create a healthy, biodiverse garden ecosystem. (Video #165)
"Attracting Beneficial Bugs to Your Garden: A Natural Approach to Pest Control"
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[@jasondananay1800]

I don't know how anyone could dislike this guys video. The best gardening KZbinr out there! Thanks Scott!

[@growingingracebyhisgrace3927]

Surely can’t be him they’re disliking, they just don’t like ANY bugs ;-)

[@vickonstark7365]

100%

[@thethunderclan123]

Yeah l gues

[@thethunderclan123]

...?

[@PStew262]

Absolutely agree

[@johnguilbert1349]

I've been trying to attract Volkswagen bugs to my garden

[@audreylawrence82]

😆🤣

[@innerjon]

Bahaha 🤣

[@lostpony4885]

Plant Fiats.

[@johnguilbert1349]

@@lostpony4885 Plant Fiat Currency? Or the Car LOL!!!!!! Yikes!

[@thanoshalo7102]

😂😅..me also

[@mohammadpourheydarian5877]

these real life listens should be taught in elementary schools.

[@syrenematin4676]

Amen, amen and amen!

[@darylhicks5083]

Thanks for the post. This has been my best year all so keeping some weeds with flowers.

[@CraigMatadeen]

Bunny spotted at 15:53. Seems like it's accustomed to being in your garden as it didn't scamper off hearing you speaking and standing right there.

[@amandavhb1630]

Since both bug videos, I have been sitting in my garden a few times a day and watching for all the bugs. I have been so excited to see all the good bugs working away doing their little bug things! I used to be worried about the ants but not anymore. And now I can really see the value of having the flowers near the vegetables.

[@juneshannon8074]

It would have been nice if you had inserted a picture of each of your ten favourites as you were talking about them.

[@Neldidellavittoria]

Google images, June. :)

[@leZerUchiha]

@@Neldidellavittoria indeed

[@itsasickness4939]

Great follow up to the “bad bug” video.

[@Steve-ps6qw]

wow, some of those flowers are really nice! I need to figure out which will work for us, i know my wife will love some of them. Thanks!

[@d66634]

I ordered the book, except there is an updated version available. In my garden (Maryland, Zone 7) I was growing some ornamental Coleus for the foliage, but they also put out long stems of flowers that lasted for months and attracted several different species of bees. Thanks for the videos. They've been both a mental stimulator for new things to do and a source of great information.

[@amandavhb1630]

I love the shirt from your merchandise line! Thanks for another informative video! I have a flower garden at the base of my raised bed and planted zinnia seads near my garden in an old ugly dirt patch with hopes to provide insects and to disguise my compost pile!

[@markc2152]

We named a neighborhood rabbit cilantro because he apparently preferred that amongst the herbs I grew one year

[@evilroyslade2491]

WOW, I'm learning a lot. Thanks Scott

[@magdalenejackson5375]

I never thought about dill or cilantro for flowers, but I'll try that this year! I'm putting in a native plant garden and a sunflower/corn garden so I'm excited to see what happens.

[@Marcusstratus]

awesome video, thanks for the tips. It's not surprising that it would be valuable to have variety

[@bethsands7665]

Good and real informative garden of life ecosystem wisdom. Insects go hand in hand with flowers and growing a garden. I love all the flowers that you have mentioned, thanks for your expertise .Zinnias are awesome !!!! Nice useful information !

[@La_Space]

Great video Scott. In Australia, I tend to grow nastertiums and violas for that reason but also as an added bonus, the flowers are edible and so they are dual purpose. Thanks mate another excellent clip.

[@sunnyseacat9232]

Amazingly informative, easy to digest, helpful information in general about pollinators - choose for your growing zone, etc. Thank you Scott!

[@denver1865]

Good info!! As an aside: I thought the last line on your T-shirt said "I have SOWL"! haha. You def have "soul". Veni Vidi Vici!!

[@TheAdhdGardener]

I actually started growin my own bug repelling flowers myself cuz man them bugs attacked my garden last year🥴

[@TheAdhdGardener]

I started nasturtiums, alyssums, marigolds n lavender..guess ill find out how my garden does this year with the flowers

[@maureenokeefe4052]

Thanks for your wonderful and educational videos. You’re such a great speaker!

[@LeverActionLarry]

Really loving all of your videos!! Learning so much! Thanks for sharing!

[@shadyman6346]

Well, I do grow lavender...guess I’ll grow some other flowers.

[@shelbylengwenat3774]

Great video. So full of interesting information. Thank you

[@RexySmith]

3 year ago there was a tiny wasps nest under my bedroom awning, I heard some lady in a video saying she had terrible problem with slugs until wasps establish in her Garden. So I though great I will leave them there, It was all fine they never bothered us. It give in the front yard in a part where no one goes anyway. The year after I saw another nest starting to be Built I thought Oh great the little wasps are back... I didn't realized they were a totally different type, by August that wasps nest was MASSIVE it was starting to be a bit scary looking at them from so close.We could see inside the hive since one side was directly on the window(kinda cool and fascinating to look at the same time) even though the window was always closed, they were so loud getting in and out we were always wondering if it was raining.....I debated greatly if I should have some exterminator come to remove it, wondering if it was dangerous to leave them there,with all the bad press wasps get. I decided on leaving the nest alone not wanting chemicals to be sprayed on my property and feeling way too bad for killing more of nature when it's already suffering so much. With research I learned that they will all naturally pass away in winter(They never re-use the same nest either). WE were all fine nothing bad happened. I was happy of my choice. In the winter I noticed there was a big hole now at the top of the nest.eventually little branches where pocking out of the hole and Sure enough Now there is a family of little birds living in there! Their baby just dropped the nest, probably will learn to fly soon ! I can see them from my window when I peak through the curtain . SO AWESOME ! TLDR : I left a wasps nest Under my bedroom window awning last year and now a cute family of birds live in it

[@GardenerScott]

Great example! Thanks for sharing.

[@heidiclark6612]

Uprtight Veronica attract tons of bees. My Asclepias came back this year.

[@radrickdavis]

Nicotania is my favorite flower to attract pollinators. Great annual companion plant, and it can get big with new flowers all summer.

[@waynesell3681]

Binge watching! Looking for some of Gardener Scott encouragement. My vegetable garden this year is terrible. Lots went wrong. However the butterfly weed was great as well as beneficial insects around. As well as the first monarch butterfly of the year .. really like your excellent delivery, great teacher!

[@skepticalgenious]

Hmm salvia how interesting. It is a pretty purple flower with aromatic leaves. Hehehe -akloid is also in it. Great flowers

[@elizaa8071]

Another great video. Would love to see a garden tour. 😊

[@GardenerScott]

Thanks. That video is coming next week.

[@lauracruz-smith8767]

I needed this! Just planted first tower garden and small ground garden and a few pots! Bugs have started to eat some leaves!

[@lindadavidson2237]

Dill is a favorite of the swallowtail caterpillars in my yard. I plant it several places in hopes that I can get a little also. Great video!

[@tamarabonet9438]

Thank you for another great video!

[@JoeBlack14]

Did I notice Lilacs? My mom's favorite plant. They smell so wonderful and look great too. -Edit - Got my answer at the end of the video. They look healthy.

[@charlesbale8376]

Wonderful information, thank you for sharing.

[@e7725]

Also, important to remember that there is no golden rule. Some of plants you mentioned for beneficial bug, attracted more pests and, like, never before, my black currant was attacked because I planted dill next to it this year.

[@NHchocolatelover]

The bunny made me laugh. So cute!

[@joseramos-ky6oz]

just want to say...thank you for all yr encouragement and knowledge. Jose

[@Lothis99]

You know he knows what he's doing when a little rabbit 🐇 is running around in the background. 🤣 15:45

[@bonsaihorn]

My water feature parts are arriving later this week, I already have a spot selected!

[@roccoconte2960]

I have often wondered if by planting flowers near or in the garden to attract bees then will the bees just go to the flowers and not to the vegatables or fruit trees?I have mason bees they seem to pollinate very well. Good video Scott look forward to the next one.

[@GardenerScott]

The bees will go to everything. Attracted by the flowers, they benefit the rest of the garden.

[@elizabethmagallanes5226]

monarch caterpillars only eat different types of milkweed plants not butterfly weed milkweed plants they do not eat anything else butterfly Bush and butterfly weed are not the same as milkweed and monarch caterpillars only eat milkweed that's it not butterfly weed so there's no good reason to get rid of a monarch caterpillar if you want to talk about swallowtail butterfly caterpillars eat different things the monarchs are having a difficult time so please don't mix them up with other caterpillars that can detrimental, because monarch caterpillars are never detrimental they do not and will not harm anything you plant in a garden of any kind oh that's of course you plant milkweed and even then they don't kill them off.

[@GardenerScott]

The butterfly weed I'm growing (Asclepias tuberosa) is a type of milkweed.

[@Neldidellavittoria]

My salvia attracts white flies, just before going to bloom. (It's the only blasted wildlife that flies up to my balcony.) I'm sick of fighting them, so I've recently done some reading to see if and how to prevent them, to be prepared for next summer. Trial and error, the life of a gardener, even when you've only got a balcony. ;)

[@rogehnimunoz4327]

Thank you so much. Learned a lot.

[@galedeer05]

i don't like videos much, i almost never comment: but this is a well produced video, well edited, with a lot of content (not sure if it is 'good' content as i haven't tried it yet) but well thought out information for me to take away what i can.... this type of video is why youtube is great. thanks.

[@heidiclark6612]

Its a good idea to know the life cycle of the beneficial insects because the larvae stages look different Han the adult.

[@deankoerner2436]

Thanks , bugs are something I need to work on, great education for me

[@Thaijler]

What do you have to say about pests like birds, rabbits, and squirrel? Every time i plant morning glory something comes along and bites the stem which kills it. I re-planted an oak seedling i found and something came along and snatched that. The rabbits bite the tops off marigolds and don't even eat them. They also eat the tops off many other plants which ends up killing them.

[@GardenerScott]

I discuss animal pests in other videos and livestreams. Identifying the pest is the first step in controlling it.

[@Thaijler]

@@GardenerScott I will check them out, thanks.

[@kris6682]

At 1.25 speed you can’t even tell the video has been sped up lol

[@fumasterchu]

I watch all my videos at that speed and now if they play at normal speed, everyone sounds drunk! lol

[@scrappyquilter102]

I'm a sucker for fragrance and I will opt for a fragrant perennial or shrub, more often than not. I even seek out and choose fragrant tulips. The earliest bugs seem to like them too.

[@bethsands7665]

Thanks for standing up for the insects in our garden and knowing that most are beneficial. We were thankful for our wasps who hunt caterpillars. Also our Long-legged flies eat the bad White-fly. That was a Hover-fly on your Peony nectar . Ladybugs are awesome as well as the the dragon larvae .

[@rachelgreenberg2573]

Gardener Scott says "New Colorado Home" - he moved?! WOW. *Imagine* redoing that whole garden set up he had in his old home/farm again. But I also know that if anyone can do it, its Gardener Scott. :)

[@lovealwaysjasmine]

I saw a spider in my celery and wanted to get rid of it but I guess he’s beneficial lol

[@jamesoliver5058]

If you plant globe thistle, don't put it near a patio or your hangout space or you will be fighting bee's. Plant them to the back of the yard or garden .

[@suegoetz1221]

The deer eat the flowers as soon as they come in on my deer resistant plants. they don't eat the plants, just the flowers.

[@das250250]

The hidden secret of garden, diversity. Build a city full of cosmopolitan restraints , services,entertainment , human resources . Building the equivalent in a garden yields the same results ..a city of life and prosperous growth

[@heidiclark6612]

Great topic! Let nature. work for you!

[@johngailey875]

peonies have their own ecosystem

[@agood1]

Can you explain mire about that?

[@johngailey875]

@@agood1 they are teaming with life. Lady bugs, ants, bees and all other kinds of bugs are buzzing around them. great to have near gardens

[@amysinger2201]

Thanks to your videos, I just observed what I now know are ladybug larvae going TO TOWN on web worm eggs/larva on my cottonwood seedlings! Missoula 5b, so grateful for your tutelage! (I grew up in Billings, MT 5b, which is closer to your drier climate, but I have learned how to adapt to the slightly wetter Missoula, west of the divide, so your info is still so helpful, thank you!!!)

[@gtavtheavengergunnerlegend3340]

The Bob Ross of gardening

[@chuckschillingvideos]

Well, if you find ANYTHING that preys reliably on stinkbugs, by all means please let us know.

[@garynewvine2947]

I saw this little one in my new Gooseberry tree that I repotted today! Glad to see it in my garden, ( I was trying to upload a picture of a Mantis).

[@wandarmanwanabdullah7735]

What is the best plant in tropical climate?

[@fliporphil1335]

I have watched a lady bug from time to time walk/scan my ENTIRE medicinal plant leaf to leaf top AND bottom

[@matthewfontaine4928]

Ur awesome scott!

[@carolparrish194]

Can you recommend a plant that blooms the same time as blueberries? I need more pollinators for my blueberry plants.

[@GardenerScott]

Many flowers bloom in the May-June time. You should have no problem finding one in the color and size you want.

[@mydailyreward2090]

Salvia

[@bethsands7665]

WE allow nature to do it's thing in the garden, respect insects and have found that we have a good natural system and let the predators take care of prey which is interesting to observe and natural as we don't use chemicals of any kind .

[@mariodizon3338]

Sir good morning! Any othet warm can used to make compost

[@hoofheartedicemelted296]

Scott does mulch steal nitrates from plants? You're a goldmine of information brother, if my raised bed ends up a success it will be your doing. Me and the mother in law don't get on, but she's seeing me with new eyes, now I am interested in living growing plants and flowers. I'm just sorry I didn't stumble on such a miraculous way of life earlier, but better late than never right. Thanks for being there brother.😊👍

[@GardenerScott]

Mulch won't steal nitrogen from plants. There is a slight loss at the soil surface, but the roots will be far below that. I'm glad to hear your gardening is making a difference. Thanks.

[@agood1]

I have noticed a bunch of tiny black flies living in the mulch of one of my large potted lilacs. Any ideas you can share about this?

[@relicretriever4130]

I have heard marigolds help keep bad bugs away, is this true? If so, do they also repel good bugs too? Do you recommend them for a garden?

[@GardenerScott]

They don't repel pests as much as is believed. They do a good job attracting beneficial insects. I grow them.

[@ladyhawk1083]

I always heard that marigolds was supposed to be good I find out that that's BS bugs love to eat them every time I plant marigolds they don't last very long but just tear them apart destroy him eat them

[@derekcox6531]

What blooms attract the bunny at 15:32 ish? I want to be sure to not plant those ! 🤣😂 what do you think about white clover as an insect attractor? I’ve gone against my neighbourhood busy bodies and planted white clover all over my “lawn” I have to admit I never have grown it intentionally in the past but I’ve noticed that bees at least,seem to love clover. Other than my hopeful clover,I have marigolds. I’m such a rookie when it comes to the flowering plants. it’s something I really recognize as being a bedrock part of a garden,but for me It’s always seemed a bit insurmountable in some respect. I really appreciate this episode mr Scott! It really has started me thinking about what to do to improve the “neighbourhood” around my garden area.

[@GardenerScott]

Clover is great for attracting insects, and helps improve soil. Thanks!

[@barry7608]

We would make great neighbours except I live in Australia! Love your thinking and I've pretty much done much of what you talk about, but you put so much more perspective on it. There are certainly a few tips I will take on, thanks.

[@GardenerScott]

Thanks! I would love neighbors who I could share gardening chats with.

[@jasonmorrow9616]

A wealth of information! Thank you!

[@hemalsgolwala]

Hello Scott, lot of good information.. I am having issue with Cucumber beetles and no clue how to control/ manage them.. any advice would be greatly appreciated..

[@GardenerScott]

I pluck and kill any that I see, clean the garden, and use row covers. Here's some good info: extension.umn.edu/yard-and-garden-insects/cucumber-beetles

[@zbottis]

Hi Scott, this is a topic I have been thinking about while starting up my garden this year. I am wondering if this is primarily a concern in areas with less growth neighboring your property? I live on an acre of land in Tennessee bordered on 3 sides by forest or shrubs. Will my native population of insects (which we have plenty off here) be enough or should I still be looking into dispersing these features throughout my yard to pull them into the garden.

[@GardenerScott]

It can be more difficult attracting some of the insects with non-welcoming areas around the border. I'm dealing with that because none of my neighbors have flowers so I'll have to do extra to attract the good bugs. If you build it they will come.

[@agood1]

@@GardenerScott this is encouraging, because I currently have ants and aphids, and I am leaving them to hopefully attract beneficial bugs. They need to get here already.

[@GuyG.KTalesOfAnimals]

“What is this a cat? Hold on! This cat is a rabbit! Wow!”

[@FloridaGirl-]

I made a bug hotel. It’s about 7 feet tall in my garden, out of good new clean pallets. With shelves. I stuff pine cones, the lichen from trees, palm pieces stacked, stacked wood, water trays, little boxes made from wooden cigar boxes, tubing cut and stacked from old hoses, old coco liners stacked. Also made mason bee trays and boxes. It’s cool and natural. I have several different milk weeds. And a dutchman pipe vine for the dutchman swallowtail. I plant fennel for swallowtails. And they eat it. Loaded. here in Fl there a many different butterflies. I try and plant host plants for the kats.

[@tauceti8341]

In south california dry aridish envivornments I love borage. Beautiful blue flowers the bees, honeybees, and wasps go crazy for. 10:20 I want peranese! haha! Never seen that much awesome insect activity

[@emmet9801]

Getting bagworm type caterpillars late August. Any suggestions to get rid of them?

[@GardenerScott]

Cut off the bags if you see them. Look into Bacillus thuringiensis for treatment.

[@emmet9801]

@@GardenerScott don't have bags just what looks like bag worms. Basically caterpillars. Not a lot but they are making holes in the fruit. Had tomatoes for years but never seen these on tomatoes. Only on Mortgage Lifters.

[@emmet9801]

@@GardenerScott I determined these may be fruit worms. They come from some type of moth based on what I read. They drill into the fruit of the tomato. Thanks

[@vinc8ntl8r]

Do you know any that’ll bloom early in spring and keep blooming through late spring? Thanks love your vids!

[@GardenerScott]

It depends on your region and climate. Check with your local nurseries to see what they sell for spring flowers. I plant annuals like petunias.

[@jordanyeager9220]

Just bought the book off eBay after watching this video! 😁

[@jean-pierreposman7282]

ps a insecthotel cost 30 euro s

[@lostpony4885]

All bugs are bugs they just might not be volkswagens i mean insects.

[@ecnopeponce2780]

My 6 year old garden was ravaged by small mammal "pest." Sqerriuls primarily, rabbits, mice, rats, cats, and possems. I'm at the point of fencing my whole garden in, but I suspect that a temporary fix. Suggestions? I'm in Chicago, IL.

[@GardenerScott]

Fencing can help. I know gardeners who have had success by setting up feeders for the squirrels in another area. Try to find where the mice and rats have their nest and you can destroy it.

[@royalwoolsey9031]

What is attacking my tomatoes? I found a couple of green cherry tomatoes with a hole bored in them, and the centers hollowed out. Any suggestions?

[@jamesyonan1564]

If you're in the U.S./Canada they might be Tomato Hornworms, (Manduca quinquemaculata), the larval form of the Hawk Moth.

[@GardenerScott]

It could be many things. Try going out in early morning or early evening to see if you can discover the pest.

[@leaelizabeth23]

If leaves are missing too it’s probably hornworms and it’s likely on a plant right by you still. They will do SERIOUS damage! They will wipe out every plant if left long enough. If you have chickens get it and feed it to them. They love them. 😅 they have done a lot of damage around here

[@ttb1513]

@@leaelizabeth23 Hornworms are easy to spot at night with a black light flashlight. They kinda glow a bit. I’ve never really noticed the hornworms going after tomatoes themselves, but definitely the leaves. It is very interesting to see parasitic wasp larvae burrow out from a hornworm’s skin and spinning the many tiny individual cocoons.

[@leaelizabeth23]

@@ttb1513 i haven’t heard of the backlight trick! I have seen them go after tomatoes and the leaves. They destroyed all but one of my tomato plants a few years ago. I think it was one single hornworm that wiped them out overnight. 😖

[@frogjump10]

I have trouble with squash bugs. They take over very quickly and can wipe out my squash plants within a few days. I spray them with a mix of water, dish soap and peroxide and kills the babies quickly and I think the eggs as well. Does a little damage to the leaves, but much less than the squash bugs do. I did try to leave them alone in hopes that the beneficial insects would step up, but these buggers multiply very quickly. Suggestion?

[@GardenerScott]

You can kill most of them and leave a few behind. I do that with aphids. It reduces plant damage and provides ready food when the predators arrive.

[@shamanking5195]

how about Jerusalem artichokes

[@GardenerScott]

They can attract many pollinators.

[@SecondComingTwice]

Awfully glad you didn't mention Morning Glory Gardener Scott. I cultivated and trained two varieties that spanned a dozen feet or so up to around eight feet high last year and it seemed as though the birds and insects enjoyed them too. This Spring the innumerable seeds seem to all sprout and grow at different intervals and it was nearly a month before I could get cool season greens sown due to hundreds of "volunteer" Morning Glory plants aiming at taking over my yard. I don't know if that mistake was worse even than planting mint in a bed years ago, at least the mint had some use in the kitchen. Same holds true with oregano but it's in a place where tools and extra pots etc are near a "walkway" of wood chips so no harm no foul and a few leaves will make it onto a dish at dinnertime. No flowers this year so far but my beloved sunflowers and Columbine but I expect to see some perennials and hopefully self-seeded annuals before too long. What the heck am I supposed to do with 50 extra tomato seedlings I ask you. First year that I really went to town with seeds instead of purchasing plants and I cloned more than I have room for too. I'm about ready to go plant them in the suburban swampland set aside as a nature walk for the public since I hate to just let them die. I appreciate your videos. Best regards Gardener Tony

[@GardenerScott]

You're right that Morning Glory can become invasive. Bindweed is related and I constantly battle that plant. I give as many extra tomato plants as I can to neighbors and family, but some do end up in the compost.

[@cmasailor]

Up here I need to find out what Mason bees like to stimulate some early polination

[@johnjude2685]

Sir, I started the A frame from a 16' cattle fence.Also going to train tomatoes and cucumbers to climb Question with the mulch to prevent Desease is compose ok to "much with. Or do I need the wood chips Sir I like and trying to learn. Thanks

[@GardenerScott]

I mulch a lot with compost. I don't use wood chips on tomatoes and cucumbers. I prefer straw.

[@BosnWayne]

Nice information and well presented. Thank you

[@ohske]

👍👍👍👌☺️

[@tauceti8341]

Awesome videos as always scott! After receiving the tub and the solar fountain, My neighbors completely cut down the small tree that had all the sparrows in it :( Hopefully I can attract them back still with the water feature, But I seriously LOVED that gorgeous red flowering tree that had all the lil birdies in it.

[@GardenerScott]

Thanks! I hope your efforts bring them back too.

[@krussell9995]

Maybe I have missed it in a previous video, but what hardiness zone are you in? Love your videos, so informative!

[@GardenerScott]

Thanks! I'm in 5b.

[@LichaelMewis]

Scott, I'm about to build an 8x4 wooden raised bed and it will be going in my back yard which is sodded. My question is, should I remove the sod prior to placing the box and filling it with soil? I'm going to go 12" high for the box. Thanks.

[@GardenerScott]

I would dig and turn over the sod. I don't do that for my high beds, but for a 12" box the soil depth may not be enough to smother and kill the grass.

[@LichaelMewis]

@@GardenerScott ok thanks

[@robertmoore661]

Great video can you please post a copy of your flower list

[@strngenchantedgirl]

Is there a video of you making that fountain/water source?

[@GardenerScott]

Yes, it came out last week.

[@annestudley8235]

Sunflowers are considered to be allelopathic. Do you ever have trouble growing vegetables or other plants near where sunflowers are growing or grew the year before? Also, I wonder how long this effect lasts. I love sunflowers but am nervous about their ruining parts of my garden for other veggies.

[@GardenerScott]

I grow sunflowers around the perimeter of the garden and not in the beds. The seeds can be allelopathic, but I leave the seed heads in place for birds over the winter and there are very few seeds remaining in spring to cause problems.

[@annestudley8235]

Thanks a lot - that's good information to know. I leave the seeds of some but like to harvest some for growing microgreens in the winter, plus a few for replanting the following year - they make delicious microgreens.

[@HiltTilt]

You calling me a bug?