Many people have an immediate and unfavorable reaction to insects. But these super successful animals are pretty amazing when you stop to think about it. Insects, which are found virtually everywhere, form the largest group of animals in the world; it is believed that there may be as many as 200 million insects for each human. Before you blast that critter with a spray or grind it into oblivion, consider this: less than one percent of the known insects have made themselves a nuisance to humans by destroying crops, causing diseases or parasitizing animals. By far, the vast majority of insects are helpful to humans. Insects pollinate crops (about one-third of the food we eat is insect-pollinated), break down dead plants and animals into reusable materials and provide food for other animals.

Ladybug, lady beetle, or ladybird beetle

Probably the best known beneficial insect is the ladybug. There are several kinds of ladybugs that vary widely in their coloring and markings. Most adults are smaller than 1/2 inch in length and have very short legs. Adult ladybugs almost exclusively eat aphids, but juvenile ladybugs - called larvae - are not so particular. They will eat scale insects, spider mites and mealybugs, in addition to aphids. A ladybug larva can eat two dozen or more aphids in a single day, while an adult can consume as many as 60. While ladybugs can be obtained commercially, keeping them corralled in your garden is impossible unless you have a steady supply of nectar and pollen plants. Dill, dandelion, cosmos, goldenrod, Queen Anne's lace, sunflower and yarrow are particularly successful plants for attracting and retaining ladybugs.