Here in South Florida, we love our lush gardens—but sometimes, pests like scale insects, aphids, and whiteflies love them a little too much. At Inch by Yard, we’ve found one of the best ways to keep your plants healthy and thriving is to work with nature, not against it.
Instead of turning to harsh chemicals, try inviting the insects that eat the pests. These unsung heroes include ladybugs, lacewings, and parasitic wasps—and they’re more than happy to take care of the job for free.
But how do you get them to move in? You plant a beneficial insect garden!
🐞 Why Beneficial Insects Matter
Ladybugs and lacewings feast on soft-bodied pests like aphids and scale insects that often appear on popular plants like sweet almond, hibiscus, and coontie. Parasitic wasps may be tiny and invisible to the untrained eye, but they’re fierce allies, laying their eggs inside harmful insects and keeping populations under control.
By adding the right plants to your garden, you create a permanent, natural defense system that gets stronger with time.
🌿 Best Plants to Attract Beneficial Insects in South Florida
Below are some of our favorite Florida-native and Florida-friendly plants that double as a buffet for your garden’s protectors:
🌸 Florida Native Wildflowers
- Coreopsis – Florida’s state wildflower, easy to grow and loved by hoverflies.
- Dune Sunflower (Helianthus debilis) – Sprawling and cheerful, great for pollinators and predators alike.
- Frogfruit (Phyla nodiflora) – A native groundcover that supports bees and tiny parasitic wasps.
- Tropical Sage (Salvia coccinea) – Attracts butterflies, bees, and predatory insects.
- Black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta) – Bright blooms that bring in ladybugs and beneficial beetles.
🌿 Flowering Herbs (Let Them Bolt!)
- Dill, fennel, and parsley – Host plants for swallowtails and a favorite food source for lacewings.
- Cilantro and basil – Excellent nectar sources for parasitic wasps and hoverflies.
🌺 Shrubs & Groundcovers
- Simpson’s Stopper – A native shrub that supports pollinators and predators.
- Sunshine Mimosa – A low-growing native with pink puffball flowers and excellent soil-stabilizing roots.
- Milkweed (Asclepias spp.) – Known for monarchs but also helpful for the larger ecosystem.
- Golden Creeper (Ernodea littoralis) – A salt-tolerant native with dense groundcover and small flowers beneficial insects love.
🛠️ Tips for Success
- Avoid pesticides, even organic ones like pyrethrin, when you’re trying to build a beneficial insect population.
- Layer plant heights—use groundcovers, small shrubs, and tall flowering plants to create habitat diversity.
- Water deeply and less often, encouraging stronger roots and fewer pest-prone plants.
- Add mulch or leaf litter to support beneficial insect larvae and pupae.
🌱 Ready to Build Your Beneficial Garden?
We can help you create a low-maintenance, drought-tolerant, and pest-smart garden that’s beautiful, productive, and buzzing with life.
👉 Want help selecting the right plants? Contact us here or schedule a delivery today from our curated list of ready-to-thrive plants!
