It’s a Bug’s World: How We Farm with Nature’s Pest Control
May 8th, 2025
Bugs deserve a better reputation.
Which came first: “bug,” as in “to annoy,” or “bug,” as the other name for an insect?
Unfortunately for the bugs, insects ended up with their nickname because we find them, well, annoying. “Bug” was first used as another way to say “to annoy,” and it later became synonymous with the pesky pests we swat at, spray for, and generally go to great lengths to avoid being bugged by.
In our endless pursuit for a world abundant in comfort and free of the things that bug us, we’ve lost the plot: bugs are part of nature for a reason!
A Bug’s Life
Insects comprise significant parts of nature’s systems and chains. More than a few plants and other animals rely on bugs for the tasks they perform or as a food source.
Pollinators
When you picture pollinators, you’re probably thinking of the “cute” bugs and animals you find in springtime decoration motifs: butterflies, bumblebees, ladybugs, and perhaps even small furred and feathered critters, like mice and hummingbirds.
In reality, the list of pollinator species is much, much longer than you’d initially suspect. Pollinators come in all shapes and sizes… and species.
- Moths
- Bees
- Wasps
- Bats
- Mice
- Butterflies
- Flies
- Ants
- Gnats
- Slugs
- Beetles
- Geckos and small lizards
- Birds
Not every pollinator is an insect, but the vast majority of pollinators are. Without our pollinator species, plants have a much harder time reproducing.
At The Magnolia Company, we specialize in magnolias (who knew?!). The magnolia’s primary pollinators are beetles. It’s crucial that these insects stick around, so we are extremely reluctant to use any chemical agents in our farming practices unless absolutely necessary for the health of our groves. Most of the time, there are natural solutions better for the environment than any chemical fertilizer or pesticide, and we do our best to stick to those!
The Food Chain
With their short lifespans, abundant reproduction, and large population sizes, insects are at the base of many food chains and webs. So many animals, including other insects, rely on insects as a food source. Birds, bats, spiders, small reptiles, fish, and even some carnivorous plants consume insects.
They might be annoying, but bugs are a cornerstone of the majority of our ecosystems. You’d see the collapse of larger systems in the absence of a thriving insect population. This is especially true for the buggiest of bugs (regrettably). Mosquitoes, gnats, flies, and ants – while pests to us – are critical food sources for many larger animals.
Insects also thrive on plants. While some bugs survive by nibbling on leaves from live plants, others come in and play “clean up crew.” Bugs that consume detritus, such as termites, help on the back end of the food chain as they break down dead woods in tandem with fungi and other detritivores. It’s all a delicate balance in the circle of life.
It’s a Bug-Eat-Bug World
Insects are as quick to prey on each other as they are to snack on nearby plants. Tastes vary insect to insect, but carnivorous bugs are in no short supply. As environmentally conscious agriculturalists, we take an active interest in leveraging the nature of these carnivorous insects as a form of pest control!
Plenty of insects thrive on the plants we farm at The Magnolia Company. Rather than pollute the environment with harsh pesticides that do more harm than good, we first reach for the natural approach.
Ladybugs
They’re adorable, but they’re anything but ladylike! If you ever read “The Grouchy Ladybug” to your kid, or if you’ve ever grown roses, you know that ladybugs are great to have around for controlling aphids.
Aphids are like little green plant vampires: they sustain themselves on a myriad of plants by sucking out the sap and fluids from the plant’s stems and leaves. They reproduce quickly, and they prevent nutrients from reaching all parts of the plant. Eventually, the plant’s leaves will yellow, curl, and slowly die. The plant won’t grow, due to the lack of nutrients.
As a byproduct of the aphids’ feast, a sugary substance known as “honeydew” collects on and around the host plant. The honeydew is a goldmine for ants, and the sugars in honeydew become a food source for fungi and bacteria that have found purchase in the plant’s open wounds.
Yeah… aphids are brutal. Thankfully, ladybugs are their natural predators! A single ladybug larvae eats up to 40 aphid eggs in an hour. Rather than go into an aphid infestation with pesticide, it’s far better for the environment to just turn some baby ladybugs loose on the plant! They’ll eat the aphids and leave the plant alone, then go off to mature and reproduce on their own – on our groves.
If an aphid infestation is particularly bad, we’ll use neem oil to help us out. It’s a natural pesticide and fungicide that doesn’t harm the plant or the environment.
Green Lacewings
Not nearly as famous as ladybugs but just as important in nature’s pest control are the Green Lacewings. Much like ladybugs, the adult form of this insect feeds on nectar and pollen. The juvenile form, lacewing larvae, however, thrives on pest insects!
Green lacewing larvae feed on aphids eggs, thrips, spider mites, and mealybugs. Spider mites, thrips, and mealybugs are especially problematic for magnolias and can be difficult to control once the infestation begins, so having a population of lacewings around is a huge blessing from the natural world.
Spider mites and mealybugs harm plants in the same way that aphids do, sucking out the plant’s nutrients and attracting ants fungi to the wounds. Thrips are known for transmitting viral infections among plants by feeding on plant matter, so they’re particularly nasty if you’re unlucky enough to get an infestation.
Thankfully, lacewings are like a jack of all trades cure-all for this trio of pests!
Ground Beetles
There are so many species of carnivorous beetles that help with pest control, so we’ll lump them together under “ground beetles.” These little guys are flightless, and they don’t generally look like much. That’s okay; they’re on a mission.
While Japanese beetles aren’t beetles you want to find in your garden, try to leave other beetles you find alone! Some ground beetles carry common name titles like “spider mite destroyer” and “mealybug destroyer.” You’ll want to make sure you keep those around.
Attracting Helpful Insects
All of our pest control specialists are also pollinators, so to get their help in your garden, simply plant pollinator friendly plants! Early blooming plants are especially important. Every area has different native species that usher in pollinators each spring, so look up the flowering plants unique to your area and add their beauty to your yard.
