Ladybugs

• When they arrive: Late spring to fall
• What they do: Eat aphids, mites, and scale insects (adults and larvae)
• Attracted by: Dill, fennel, yarrow, marigold, tansy, coriander, cosmos

Hoverflies

• When they arrive: Early spring to fall
• What they do: Larvae eat aphids and mealybugs; adults are pollinators
• Attracted by: Sweet alyssum, yarrow, parsley, cilantro, buckwheat, cosmos

Lacewings

• When they arrive: Late spring to fall
• What they do: Larvae eat aphids, thrips, whiteflies
• Attracted by: Coreopsis, goldenrod, angelica, cosmos, sweet alyssum

Native Bees & Bumblebees

• When they arrive: Early spring to fall
• What they do: Pollinate flowers, fruit, and vegetables
• Attracted by: Bee balm, coneflower, clover, lupines, wild bergamot, asters, chives

Honeybees

• When they arrive: Late spring to early fall
• What they do: Pollinate vegetables, herbs, and flowers
• Attracted by: Lavender, thyme, borage, sunflowers, zinnias, buckwheat

Parasitic Wasps

• When they arrive: Late spring to fall
• What they do: Lay eggs inside pests like caterpillars and aphids
• Attracted by: Dill, fennel, cilantro, zinnias, carrot flowers, tansy

Ground Beetles

• When they arrive: Spring to fall (most active in warm soil)
• What they do: Eat slugs, maggots, cutworms
• Attracted by: Evening primrose, amaranth, ground covers, mulch, leaf litter

Dragonflies

• When they arrive: Summer to fall
• What they do: Eat mosquitoes, gnats, midges
• Attracted by: Still water (ponds, barrels), gardens with insects to hunt

🦋 Butterflies

• When they arrive: Late spring to early fall
• What they do: Pollinate flowers and vegetables; support biodiversity
• Attracted by: Coneflower, milkweed, zinnias, butterfly bush, aster, Joe-Pye weed

Hummingbird Moths

• When they arrive: Late spring to summer (especially at dusk)
• What they do: Pollinate deep, tubular flowers with great efficiency
• Attracted by: Bee balm, phlox, honeysuckle, lilac, butterfly bush, verbena

Fireflies

• When they arrive: Summer evenings, often after rain
• What they do: Larvae eat slugs, snails, aphids, and other soft-bodied pests
• Attracted by: Moist, organic soil, low light pollution, leaf litter, native grasses

Luna Moths

• When they arrive: Late spring through midsummer (mostly at night)
• What they do: Pollinate night-blooming plants and support native biodiversity
• Attracted by: Moonflower, evening primrose, sweet mock orange, birch, hickory, walnut

Sphinx Moths

• When they arrive: Late spring to early fall
• What they do: Pollinate tubular flowers, especially in the evening
• Attracted by: Four o'clocks, petunias, bee balm, phlox, tobacco plants, verbena

Tiger Moths

• When they arrive: Summer (active at night)
• What they do: Pollinate nocturnal flowers; part of a balanced food web
• Attracted by: Evening-scented flowers, dandelions, moonflower, goldenrod

Underwing Moths

• When they arrive: Mid to late summer, active mostly at night
• What they do: Pollinate night-blooming wildflowers; serve as food for birds, bats
• Attracted by: Goldenrod, joe-pye weed, moonflower, oak, willow

🌼 Flowers That Attract Beneficial Insects

• Dill, Fennel, Yarrow - Attract ladybugs & parasitic wasps
• Bee Balm, Phlox, Verbena - Loved by hummingbird moths
• Evening Primrose, Moonflower - Feed night moths
• Sunflowers, Cosmos, Zinnias - Butterfly magnets