Pests & plant health
Recognise and support helpful garden insects
Observe before removing insects.
When to do it
Whenever inspecting flowers, aphids or other small insects.
What you need
- Hand lens or close photograph
- Local identification resource
How to do it
- Observe before removing insects. Ladybird and lacewing larvae can look very different from their adults, and hoverfly larvae often occur among aphids.
- Use a reliable local identification source rather than colour alone; not every similar-looking beetle has the same diet.
- Keep a variety of suitable flowering plants and some undisturbed habitat nearby while keeping crop access clear.
- Avoid unnecessary broad-spectrum treatments. Recheck whether natural predators are holding a small pest population steady.
What success looks like
- Helpful insects remain while crop damage is monitored.
Watch out for
- Removing every larva because it looks unfamiliar.
- Assuming predators will solve a severe infestation immediately.
Related help
Inspect a struggling plant before treating it
Identify the plant and photograph the whole plant, affected parts and nearby healthy plants.
Manage small infestations without routine spraying
Identify the insect and its life stage.
Sources and review
Checked 24 September 2026. Source-checked editorial guidance; not field-tested or independently reviewed by a horticulturist.