Beneficial Insects

Insects are essential for the health of our ecosystems, and we must help them.

Here are 10 things you can do to help:

  • Create insect-friendly habitats and grow native plants (check out bugs.uconn.edu for a list of pollinator-friendly native plants)
  • Reduce pesticide and herbicide use
  • Limit exterior lighting use
  • Reduce soap run-off from washing vehicles and buildings
  • Increase awareness and appreciation of insects
  • Save the stems
  • Leave the leaves
  • Provide a safe water source
  • Leave a small pile of twigs, stems, and leaves in the back corner of your garden.
  • “Plant” a log from your yard or a neighbor’s yard

The main habitat features used by pollinators and other insects for shelter include stems and branches of trees, shrubs, and wildflowers; leaf litter; bare ground; dead wood; and brush piles. Keeping as many of these features as possible in your landscape (rather than taking them away) will help attract and support a variety of bees and other beneficial insects.

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