Which Flowers Attract the Most Insects?
Some flowers repel bugs while others attract them. It’s an interesting relationship that can help, hinder or harm all the plants in your yard. Usually we let our own personal preferences influence the floral arrangements of our gardens, but if you are serious about controlling pests in your yard, you may want to carefully consider the following flowers.
Flowers That Attract Helpful Insects
If you want to encourage the pollination process, plants that attract bees, butterflies and hummingbirds can help. Of course, if you or a family member are allergic to bees you’ll definitely want to steer clear of these flowers:
- Black-eyed Susan
- Blue Lobelia
- Cup Plant
- Marigold
- Milkweed
- Riddell’s Goldenrod
- Yellow Giant Hyssop
Another insect that you’ll want to attract is the ladybug. Not only are they super cute, but they also help protect garden vegetables from aphids, mites and other destructive insects. Flowers that attract beneficial ladybugs and other pest predators include:
- Angelica
- Boneset
- Buckwheat
- Calendula
- Caraway
- Coriander
- Cosmos
- Cow Parsnip
- Dahlias
- Dandelions
- Feverfew
- Golden Marguerite
- Horsemint
- Indian Hemp
- Marigold
- Meadowsweet
- New England Aster
- Pale-leaved Sunflower
- Queen Anne’s Lace
- Shrubby Cinequefoil
- Statice
- Sweet Alyssum
- Yarrow
- Yellow Coneflower
- Zinnia
Compositae flowers of the daisy and sunflower family are particularly useful in attracting ladybugs, spiders and other “good” bugs.
Flower That Attract Destructive Insects
In addition to leafy greens and a number of vegetables, there are a few flowers that also attract garden pests. These flowers are the ones that you may want to skip the next time you visit the gardening center, or you may want to add a few to see if they can actually help control pests.
- Carrion Flowers– These are course flowers typically found on cacti that put out a pungent odor that attracts insects including pesky flies.
- Four O’Clocks – This flower attracts Japanese beetles, but they also kill them too.
- Nasturtium – These can also trap some insects.
- Roses – Roses of all varieties are often plagued by aphids.
Many gardeners like using natural ways of controlling pests around their yards. However, pest control treatments can be safe and effective when they are performed by highly trained technicians. At Vulcan Termite and Pest Control Inc. we have a Board Certified Entomologist that helps us stay up-to-date on the latest pest control treatments, including natural solutions. Give us a call to learn more about protecting all your flowers, shrubs and vegetables with regular pest control treatments.
Original source: https://www.vulcantermite.com/garden-pest-control/which-flowers-attract-the-most-insects/