Yes, whether you like it or not, there are such things as ‘good’ pests that exist. You may see them more often outside in your garden or at a specific location such as a sanctuary (yes, these areas for insects do exist!). It’s when there are a lot of them inside your home that’s when their presence becomes labelled as an infestation. It’s surprisingly common to find that even the most beneficial insects can make their nest inside homes—and while they’re great to have around in nature, unfortunately in your home they can become an inconvenience and yes, even a pest problem, very fast.
We may be a pest control company, but therein lies the key word: control. Almost all members of the insect kingdom can and do have their purposes (note that we say ‘almost all’ and not every member). Complete extermination from one’s home is one service we can certainly supply, but we also have to consider the fact that we still need nature in order to thrive and survive…which means controlling the amount of insects in and near you, not outright getting rid of them all. Because according to the news, we have more than honey bees to worry about dying off and going extinct.
With all of this in mind, let’s help educate you a little on the subject. Here are five genuinely beneficial insects to know about that also get the label ‘pest’.
1. Honey Bees
Yep, you read that right!
We need bees! They are a massive contribution to our world’s agriculture and food, pollinating and producing over 90% of it. There are unfortunate instances where honey bees have made their home inside of humans’ homes where there are allergic members present. It sucks to have to remove them, because we need the bees! They’re exactly why we made them #1 on our list.
2. Ladybugs
Ladybugs are great pest controllers on their own! These little guys and gals live on aphids as their diet. Typically they live outside and their nests consist of giant clusters of ladybugs on the same leaf or branch, as opposed to making a nest the way bees do. However, there are incidents where ladybugs may get trapped inside of the home where an opening or weakness is present in the structure, such as window panes.
Now, there are varmint versions of the ladybug that exist and can infest homes. These are known as Asian Lady Beetles, and while they’re not the worst varmint out there, they can leave some pretty nasty stains on your best curtains–and they will bite back if you try and carry them on your hand the way we do with ladybugs! These varmints also eat aphids though, so we’ll leave on this list.
3. Beetles
Did you know there are over 300 documented types of beetles? Ladybugs are a type of beetle as well! So you already know that they can eat other insects which can cause a lot more harm to our yards, gardens, and farmlands such as mealybugs. However, some types of beetles such as the grain beetle, the carpet beetle, and the flour beetle are the kinds of pests you really don’t want to discover in your cupboard or home. They may not bite or sting us, but they can and do contaminate the food we eat regardless.
4. Wasps
“Wait a minute!” you’re probably saying. “Wasps aren’t good bugs, they sting people! Besides, you exterminate wasps for a living! Hypocrite!”
Okay, first off, calm down. Yes, we do exterminate wasps, but only those wasps who are posing a threat to people’s lives and their health. Contrary to popular belief, wasps actually do have their benefits to nature, especially on farms and in the wild. Because wasps and other relatives within the vespa genus are meat eaters, they’re basically like nature’s garbage disposers, cleaning off the bones of any decaying wildlife and then letting that organic material decompose over time. This actually is a natural process in the wild. So, as hard as it is to accept, some wasps and hornets do contribute to the circle of life.
5. Spiders
Much like wasps and hornets, spiders keep a lot of insect populations under control. They’re not technically an insect at all (they’re arachnids), but too many in one place can cause all kinds of issues for people. Their bites are venomous regardless of their species, and while a lot of people are terrified of them, they can and do eat a lot of the other insect pests we’ve mentioned on our website. You can read more about how spiders are actually pretty good varmints in our last blog post on the subject.
So, there you have it! While these insects do have their uses, like we said if they get into your home and there’s way too many of them in one place, that’s when they stop being beneficial ‘pests’ and are just plain pests! Give your local Pest Boss a call if you need help. We’ll get you, varmints!
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