Attracting Beneficial Insects
with Native Flowering Plants
Anna Fiedler, Julianna Tuell, Rufus Isaacs, and Doug Landis
Department of Entomology, Michigan State University
Extension Bulletin E 2973 ? New ? January 2007Introduction
Conservation of natural enemies of insects (predators and
parasitoids) and pollinators (bees) around the farm or
garden can help suppress pests and increase crop yields.
Many beneficial insects rely on plants for nectar and
pollen or shelter. Plants commonly recommended to
provide these resources are non native annuals such as:
buckwheat, sweet alyssum, faba bean, dill, and coriander.
In a recent Michigan State University study, we wanted
to learn whether native Midwestern perennial plants
could provide similar resources.
We selected 46 native Michigan plants on the basis of
their bloom periods and ability to survive in agricultural
habitats. All of the species selected historically grew in
prairie or oak savanna habitats. Once common in
Michigan, prairies and oak savannas are now rare, as are
many of the plants and animals that formerly utilized
these habitats. By returning these plants to Michigan
landscapes, we may be able to increase both pollination
and pest control in agricultural crops while enhancing
our native biodiversity.
Plant testing
Native species were established as rooted plug or 1 quart
potted plants in the fall of 2003 and compared to the
non native annuals, which were planted as seed the fol
lowing spring. During the 2004 and 2005 growing sea
sons, we determined dates of peak bloom for each
species and collected insects at flowers during peak
bloom. We then identified predator, parasitoid and polli
nator insects collected at each plant species.
Our goal was to identify a group of native plants that can
provide flowers throughout the growing season and are
highly attractive to beneficial insects.
Establishing native plants
Local sources of native seed and potted plant material
are available for Michigan and many other areas. Where
possible, use local genotypes ? i.e., plant material origi
nally collected in your area and best adapted for your
conditions.
Determine where you would like to establish native
plants. If it is a large area (greater than 500 square feet),
consider using seed to establish plants, which will flower
in 3 to 5 years. If a smaller area, rooted seedlings sold in
plugs or pots will flower in 1 to 2 years and will allow
you to choose the position of each plant.
Consult a local native plant producer for seed mixes or
plants most appropriate for your light, soil type, and
moisture conditions, as well as for proper plant spacing.
Site preparation to minimize weeds is crucial to project
success. Depending on the history of your site, plan on
3 months to 2 years for proper preparation. Professional
plant and seeding installation services are available. If
you are seeding an area yourself, you can hand broadcast
seed with good results. Seed drills require a good deal of
time and seed to calibrate correctly, so they are most
effectively used on areas larger than an acre.
Please note: The information presented in this bulletin
should be considered a guideline to be adapted for your
local conditions. MSU makes no warranty about the use
of the information presented here.
For more information on our research into native plants and
beneficial insects, seewww.ipm.msu.edu/plants/home.htm
MSU is an affirmative action, equal opportunity employer. Michigan State University Extension programs and materials are
open to all without regard to race, color, national origin, gender, religion, age, disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation,
marital status, or family status. ? Issued in furtherance of Extension work in agriculture and home economics, acts of May 8
and June 30, 1914, in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Thomas G. Coon, Extension director, Michigan
State University, E. Lansing, MI 48824. ? This information is for educational purposes only. References to commercial
products or trade names do not imply endorsement by MSU Extension or bias against those not mentioned. This bulletin
becomes public property upon publication and may be printed verbatim with credit to MSU. Reprinting cannot be used to
endorse or advertise a commercial product or company.
1
Acknowledgements
Project GREEEN
MSU Extension and Michigan Agricultural Experiment Station
USDA NC SARE
C.S. Mott Predoctoral Fellowship in Sustainable Agriculture
MSU Sustainable Agriculture: Production and Food Ecology
Systems Grant
Bill Schneider and Wildtype Design, Native Plants & Seed Cover photos: clockwise, top left: A. Fiedler; W. Cranshaw, Colorado State University;
J. Tuell; A. Fiedler.
Chart photos: flower images 1 through 26: A. Fiedler.Predators eat many
prey in a lifetime, feed
ing both as young and as
adults, and include some
bugs, beetles, flies,
lacewings and spiders.
All shown here eat
small, soft bodied
insects and help control
aphid, whitefly, and
mealybug populations,
except for spiders, which
will also eat larger
insects.
Crab spiderSyrphid fly Lady beetle Minute pirate bug
Howard Russell
D
. Landis
A. Fiedler
David Keith, University of Nebraska Lincoln
NATURAL ENEMIES
Chalcid wasp Ichneumonid wasp
Jim Kalisch & Tom Clark, University of Nebraska Lincoln
Gerald J. Lenhard
4
Parasitoids seek
other insects as hosts
in which to lay their
eggs. Each egg hatches
within the host, and
the young feed and
develop within that
single host, eventually
killing it. Parasitoids
are most commonly
small wasps. Hosts can
be from almost any
insect group, including
beetle larvae, cater
pillars, flies, and other
wasps.
For more information
on natural enemies,
please see the
Other
Resources
section on
page 5.
Braconid wasp
Jim Kalisch & Tom Clark, University of Nebraska Lincoln
S
ome insects eat other insects and can provide natural pest control on farms and in gardens. These natural
enemies can be divided into two groups ? predators and parasitoids. Many predators and parasitoids are
attracted to flowering plants, where they obtain pollen and nectar that help increase their life span and ability
to lay eggs. The table in this bulletin can be used to select plants that provide flowers through the growing season.P
ollinating insects play a
critical role in maintaining
natural plant communities,
and they also pollinate most crop
plants grown for their fruits, veg
etables, nuts, seeds, and fiber.
Bees are excellent pollinators
because they spend most of their
adult lives collecting pollen to feed
to their developing offspring. The
plumed hairs on their bodies
attract pollen grains, and ?brush
es? on their legs enable them to
collect pollen and carry it back to
the nest. Flowers provide energy
in the form of nectar, and many
bees have long tongues that allow
them to reach into deep flowers
that other insects cannot use.
Five major bee families are found
in the Midwest:
Apidae (honey
bees, bumble bees, carpenter bees,
and a diverse group of solitary
soil nesting bees),
Andrenidae
(andrenid bees), Halictidae
(sweat bees), Megachilidae
(leafcutter and mason bees), and
Colletidae (cellophane bees, notshown). Some of the more com
mon species in these groups are
pictured here.
Most bee species are solitary
(each female produces offspring in
her own nest), with only one gen
eration of bees per year. However,
some of the most abundant
species, such as honeybees and
bumblebees, are social, working
together to provision a single nest
in which a queen presides and pro
duces multiple generations per
year. Bees with multiple genera
tions per year need food resources
(pollen and nectar) across most of
the growing season to build their
colonies. Providing plants with
overlapping bloom periods in a
landscape will help these bees
survive and prosper. The table in
this bulletin can be used to select
plants that will provide flowers
through the growing season.
For more information on
pollinators, please see the Other Resources section below.
Carpenter beeBumble bee
Sweat bee, green
Leafcutter bee Andrenid bee Honey bee
Sweat bee, brown
POLLINATORS
5
J. Tuell
J. TuellJ. Tuell J. Tuell
J. T
uell J. Tuell
J. Tuell
Mason bee
S. Bambara, N. Carolina State Univ.
Enhancing Beneficial Insects with Native Plants Web site:
www
.ipm.msu.edu/plants/home.htm
Flint, M.L., and S.H. Dreistadt. 1998. Natural Enemies
Handbook: the Illustrated Guide to Biological Pest Control
.
Publication 3386. Berkely, CA: University of California Press,
Division of Agriculture and Natural Resources. Gardiner, M., C. DiFonzo, M. Brewer and T. Noma. 2006.
Identifying Natural Enemies in Crops and Landscapes . Extension
bulletin E 2949. East Lansing, Mich.: Michigan State
University.
Shepherd, M., S.L. Buchmann, M. Vaughan and S.H. Black.
2003.
Pollinator Conservation Handbook . Portland, Ore.: The
Xerces Society.
Other Resources
