Eek! It’s a bug!

I know most folks don’t like creepy-crawlies. Bugs aren’t their thing. Mine, yes, but this is what I do – help people deal with garden pests and protect good bugs.

Some good guys do look scary, like something out of a sci-fi movie with spikes and fangs and ridges and crazy colors.   

But looks aren’t everything. In most cases, these are good bugs – what we call beneficial insects – that help to control the few bad dudes in your garden.  

Let me introduce you to a few bug friends that aren’t beauties but do a beautiful job of controlling harmful pests.  

Assassin bugs get a bad rap simply because of their name. We’re talking James Bond, right?  

That’s a good thing. Assassin bugs are efficient predators, but boy, do they look scary. Battleship grey with spikes down their backs, they look like they’re wearing armor.  

But the battle is mostly one-sided. Insects that cross an assassin bug’s path likely will get skewered by its lance-like mouthpart and slurped dry.  

Stop shuddering. There’s an upside. 

Assassin bugs eat almost any bug, making them ecological balancers that keep insect populations in check. Plus, they enjoy snacking on Japanese beetles, the scourge of many a garden.

Cute and beneficial, the ladybug lies at the other end of the beauty spectrum. But as youngsters, ladybugs resemble tiny orange and black alligators which often get squished because they look like they are Up To No Good.  

Not true. These are good guys who consume even more aphids, spider mites, scales, and other baddies than adult ladybugs. In fact, one ladybug can eat over 5,000 aphids in its lifetime. 

Many juvenile insects look nothing like their more familiar adult counterparts. So stop before you squish or spray. Snap a photo or bring a sample to your local Extension office. Most likely it’s an ally you want to protect.  

You can find your Maryland Extension office on our website. Or reach out to the certified horticulturists at our Home & Garden Information Center for help. Send a photo or question to them at Ask Extension.

Wasps get a bad rap, too, with much swatting and shrieking and fear of The Stinger. Only females have those – they’re modified egg-laying organs – and they aren’t likely to use them unless threatened.  

But most wasps are beneficial, preying on bad bugs or laying their eggs on them to feed their young. Plus, they are pollinators, protecting 1 in 3 bites of food we eat. 

Spiders aren’t insects – they have 8 legs, not 6 – but they give many people the willies. But spiders also are beneficial, quietly and efficiently consuming many harmful insects.  

Beauty isn’t everything. An army of not-so-lovely-but-useful insects are your allies in the garden, protecting your plants from the 1 in 10 bugs that are actually harmful. 

So think before you squish or spray. Get us a photo or sample. We’ll identify it and give you management tips that deal swiftly with bad bugs while protecting beneficial insects. 

By Annette Cormany, Principal Agent Associate and Master Gardener Coordinator, Washington County, University of Maryland Extension.

This article was previously published by Herald-Mail Media. Read more by Annette.