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Beneficial Bugs

Don't assume that every creeping thing in your garden is a pest. There are many beneficial insects, such as the red soldier beetle shown above, that help eliminate garden pests. Red soldier beetles are carnivores, and enjoy feasting on aphids.(Photo by Steve
McWilliam)

Professional Specialist
"On every stem, on every leaf ... and at the root of everything that grew, was a professional specialist in the shape of grub, caterpillar, aphis, or other expert, whose business it was to devour that particular part."
-Oliver Wendell Holmes

Alternatives to Pesticides and Chemicals

When used incorrectly, pesticides can pollute water. They also kill beneficial, as well as harmful, insects. Natural alternatives prevent both of these events from occurring and save you money. Consider using natural alternatives for chemical pesticides: Non-detergent insecticidal soaps, garlic, hot pepper sprays, 1 teaspoon of liquid soap in a gallon of water, used dishwater, or a forceful stream of water to dislodge insects.

Also consider using plants that naturally repel insects. These plants have their own chemical defense systems, and when planted among flowers and vegetables, they help keep unwanted insects away. The table below contains a partial list of nature's alternatives.

Pest	Plant Repellent
Ant	mint, tansy, pennyroyal
Aphids	mint, garlic, chives, coriander, anise
Bean leaf beetle	potato, onion, turnip
Codling moth	common oleander
Colorado potato bug	green beans, coriander, nasturtium
Cucumber Beetle	radish, tansy
Flea beetle	garlic, onion, mint
Imported cabbage worm	mint, sage, rosemary, hyssop
Japanese beetle	garlic, larkspur, tansy, rue, geranium
Leaf hopper	geranium, petunia
Mexican bean beetle	potato, onion, garlic, radish, petunia, marigolds
Mice	onion
Root knot nematodes	French marigolds
Slugs	prostrate rosemary, wormwood
Spider mites	onion, garlic, cloves, chives
Squash bug	radish, marigolds, tansy, nasturtium
Stink bug	radish
Thrips	marigolds
Tomato horn worm	marigolds, sage, borage
Whitefly	marigolds, nasturtium

Courtesy of the U.S. Natural Resources Conservation Service.