If you're looking for a natural way to control aphids, caterpillars, whiteflies, and other common garden pests, insectary plants are one of the most effective tools you can grow. These flowering plants provide nectar, pollen, shelter, and habitat for beneficial insects such as lady beetles, lacewings, hoverflies, and parasitic wasps. In return, these tiny predators help keep pest populations in check while supporting a healthier, more balanced garden ecosystem.

Unlike pesticides, beneficial insects don't simply eliminate pests—they become part of a self-sustaining system that works throughout the growing season. A thoughtfully planted insectary can reduce pest outbreaks, improve pollination, and make your garden more resilient year after year.

What Is an Insectary Plant?

Insectary plants are flowering plants that attract and support beneficial insects by providing food and habitat. Many predatory insects feed on nectar or pollen as adults, even if their larvae spend their time hunting garden pests. Without those floral resources, they often move elsewhere in search of food.

By growing plants that bloom throughout the season, you encourage beneficial insects to remain nearby and patrol your vegetables, flowers, shrubs, and fruit trees.

Think of insectary plants as the insect equivalent of bird feeders and bird baths. Instead of attracting birds, they attract an army of natural pest controllers.

Related:  Pollinators Vs Predatory Insects: What's The Difference?

Which Beneficial Insects Do Insectary Plants Support?

Many of the insects gardeners value most depend on flowering plants during at least part of their life cycle.

Lady beetles consume enormous numbers of aphids, scale insects, mites, and other soft-bodied pests.

Lacewing larvae hunt aphids, thrips, mealybugs, caterpillars, and insect eggs. As adults, many lacewings feed on nectar and pollen, making flowering plants an important food source.

Hoverflies resemble small bees or wasps, but their larvae are among the garden's most effective aphid predators.

Parasitic wasps lay their eggs inside or on pest insects such as caterpillars, hornworms, aphids, and whiteflies. Their developing larvae consume the host insect from within, naturally reducing pest populations.

Minute pirate bugs, soldier beetles, assassin bugs, predatory flies, and numerous native insects also benefit from insectary plantings.

Even ants can play a role. Some species prey on garden pests or scavenge dead insects, while others protect aphids in exchange for honeydew. Whether they help or hinder depends on the species and the situation.

Why Flowers Matter to Predators

Predatory insects cannot survive on prey alone. Adult hoverflies, lacewings, parasitic wasps, and many predatory flies rely on nectar as an energy source, while pollen provides the protein and nutrients needed for reproduction.

Without a dependable supply of flowers, these beneficial insects may visit briefly before moving elsewhere. By planting species that bloom from spring through fall, you encourage them to remain in your garden when pest populations begin to increase.

Many of the best insectary plants also support pollinators, making them valuable additions even in gardens with few pest problems.

Pollinator Plants vs. Insectary Plants

The terms are often used interchangeably, but they are not quite the same.

Pollinator plants primarily support bees, butterflies, moths, hummingbirds, and other animals that transfer pollen between flowers.

Insectary plants focus on supporting beneficial predators and parasitoids that help control garden pests.

Fortunately, many flowering plants—including dill, mountain mint, yarrow, sweet alyssum, and goldenrod—serve both purposes. By including a variety of these plants in your landscape, you create a garden that supports pollination while encouraging natural biological pest control.

Region	Excellent Insectary Plants	Beneficial Insects Supported
Northeast & Mid-Atlantic	Sweet alyssum, mountain mint, New England aster, goldenrod	Hoverflies, lacewings, parasitic wasps, native bees, soldier beetles
Southeast	Coreopsis, blanket flower, yarrow	Hoverflies, parasitic wasps, beneficial flies, native bees
Midwest & Great Plains	Wild bergamot, prairie sunflower, golden alexanders	Predatory wasps, hoverflies, native bees, butterflies
Mountain West	Showy milkweed, yarrow, penstemon	Beneficial wasps, predatory flies, native bees
Pacific Coast	California buckwheat, coyote mint, Douglas aster	Hoverflies, parasitic wasps, predatory flies, native pollinators

Insectary Plants by Region

Many insectary plants perform well across much of North America, but native and regionally adapted species usually thrive with less care while supporting the greatest diversity of beneficial insects. That doesn't mean every plant in your insectary must be native. Some of the most productive insectaries combine native wildflowers with flowering herbs and annuals that provide nectar and pollen from spring through fall.

Northeast and Mid-Atlantic

Sweet Alyssum (Lobularia maritima)

Sweet alyssum forms a low carpet of white, pink, or purple flowers that typically stays under eight inches tall. It blooms continuously from spring until frost and is one of the best plants for attracting hoverflies, whose larvae consume large numbers of aphids. Its compact size also makes it easy to tuck between vegetables or along the edges of raised beds.

Mountain Mint (Pycnanthemum species)

Few plants attract as many beneficial insects as mountain mint. Its clusters of pale lavender-white flowers draw parasitic wasps, predatory flies, hoverflies, native bees, and countless other helpful insects throughout the summer. Most varieties grow between two and four feet tall and thrive in full sun to partial shade.

New England Aster (Symphyotrichum novae-angliae)

New England asters burst into bloom just as many other flowers begin to fade. Their late-season purple flowers provide an important source of nectar for beneficial insects preparing for winter while also supporting migrating pollinators.

Goldenrod (Solidago species)

Despite its undeserved reputation as an allergy plant, goldenrod is one of the most valuable insectary plants you can grow. The bright yellow flower clusters attract soldier beetles, hoverflies, predatory wasps, and numerous native pollinators during late summer and fall.

Southeast

Coreopsis (Coreopsis species)

Coreopsis produces cheerful yellow blooms over a remarkably long season. Hoverflies, tiny parasitic wasps, and many native pollinators regularly visit the flowers, making it an excellent choice for ornamental borders and vegetable gardens alike.

Blanket Flower (Gaillardia species)

Blanket flowers bloom through the hottest months of summer when many other flowers slow down. Their extended flowering season provides a dependable nectar source for beneficial insects while adding vibrant color to the garden.

Yarrow (Achillea millefolium)

Yarrow's broad, flat flower clusters are perfectly suited to tiny beneficial insects that cannot reach nectar hidden inside deeper flowers. Parasitic wasps, hoverflies, lacewings, and predatory flies all benefit from its easily accessible blooms.

Midwest and Great Plains

Wild Bergamot (Monarda fistulosa)

Wild bergamot produces fragrant lavender flowers that attract native bees, butterflies, hoverflies, and predatory wasps throughout summer. Its long bloom period makes it one of the most dependable insectary plants for prairie gardens.

Prairie Sunflower (Helianthus petiolaris and related species)

Prairie sunflowers support a wide range of pollinators while also attracting beneficial predators that hunt garden pests. Their seeds later become an important food source for birds, extending their wildlife value well beyond the growing season.

Golden Alexanders (Zizia aurea)

Golden Alexanders bloom in spring, providing nectar when many beneficial insects first emerge from winter shelter. Their early flowers help establish predator populations before aphids and other pests begin multiplying.

Mountain West

Showy Milkweed (Asclepias speciosa)

Showy milkweed is best known as a host plant for monarch butterflies, but its fragrant pink flowers also attract parasitic wasps, hoverflies, predatory insects, and numerous native bees.

Yarrow

Yarrow naturally thrives across much of the western United States. Its drought tolerance and long flowering season make it an outstanding choice for water-wise insectary gardens.

Penstemon (Penstemon species)

Penstemon's tubular flowers are favorites of hummingbirds, but they also support many native bees and beneficial insects throughout the growing season. With dozens of native species available, there's usually one well adapted to local conditions.

Pacific Coast

California Buckwheat (Eriogonum fasciculatum)

California buckwheat is one of the most productive insectary plants in western landscapes. Its creamy flower clusters gradually mature to warm cinnamon tones while attracting hoverflies, predatory wasps, native bees, and a remarkable diversity of beneficial insects.

Coyote Mint (Monardella villosa)

This compact California native produces lavender flowers over an extended bloom period. Beneficial flies, parasitic wasps, and native bees frequently visit its blossoms throughout summer.

Douglas Aster (Symphyotrichum subspicatum)

Douglas aster provides valuable late-season nectar when many insects are preparing for winter. Its masses of purple flowers continue blooming well after many summer perennials have finished.

Herbs That Work Almost Everywhere

Some of the best insectary plants may already be growing in your vegetable garden.

Flowering dill, fennel, cilantro, and parsley all produce umbrella-shaped flower clusters called umbels. These tiny flowers make nectar easily accessible to hoverflies, lacewings, and especially parasitic wasps, many of which are too small to feed from larger blooms.

Rather than harvesting every herb, allow a few plants to flower each season. You'll often notice beneficial insects covering the blooms within days, and many will remain nearby hunting aphids, caterpillars, whiteflies, and other common garden pests.

Why Umbel Flowers Attract So Many Beneficial Insects

If you want to support natural pest control, pay special attention to plants in the carrot family. Dill, fennel, parsley, cilantro, and Queen Anne's lace produce umbrella-shaped clusters of tiny flowers called umbels.

Unlike deep, tubular flowers, umbels place hundreds of tiny blossoms on a broad, flat surface where even the smallest insects can reach the nectar. This makes them especially attractive to parasitic wasps, hoverflies, and predatory flies—some of the hardest-working pest controllers in the garden.

The next time you see these flowers buzzing with tiny insects, remember that many of those visitors will soon be searching nearby plants for aphids, caterpillars, whiteflies, and other garden pests.

Plan for Flowers from Spring Through Fall

A successful insectary isn't about growing one spectacular flower. It's about providing a continuous source of nectar and pollen throughout the growing season.

Early-blooming plants feed beneficial insects as they emerge from winter shelter. Summer flowers sustain growing populations while vegetable gardens are most vulnerable to pests. Late-season blooms provide the energy insects need before winter arrives.

When choosing insectary plants, aim for overlapping bloom times so something is always in flower.

Related: Creating Shelter for Pollinators

Not Every Flower Supports Beneficial Insects Equally

Almost any flowering plant offers some value, but a few characteristics make certain plants especially effective insectaries.

Simple, open flowers are usually better than heavily doubled blooms because nectar and pollen are easier for insects to reach. Plants that flower over a long season generally provide more value than those that bloom for only a week or two. A mix of flower shapes, heights, and bloom times will attract a wider variety of beneficial insects than a single species planted in large numbers.

Whenever possible, choose plants that are well adapted to your climate. Healthy plants produce more flowers, require less maintenance, and provide a more dependable food source for beneficial insects.

Learn to Recognize Beneficial Insect Larvae

One of the biggest challenges in encouraging beneficial insects is recognizing their young. Many larvae look nothing like the familiar adults.

Lady beetle larvae resemble tiny black-and-orange alligators covered with bumps and spines. Lacewing larvae have long jaws and often camouflage themselves with the remains of the pests they have eaten. Hoverfly larvae look more like small maggots than the bee-like adults they eventually become.

Gardeners sometimes mistake these helpful predators for pests and destroy them before they have a chance to do their work. If you find an unfamiliar insect, take a moment to identify it before removing it. You may discover you've found one of your best allies.

Related: Predatory Insects in Your Garden

Reduce Pesticides to Protect Your Helpers

Supporting beneficial insects goes hand in hand with reducing pesticide use.

Broad-spectrum insecticides rarely distinguish between pests and the insects that keep those pests under control. In many cases, predators such as lady beetles, lacewings, and parasitic wasps disappear first, while fast-reproducing pests rebound within a matter of days.

When beneficial insects remain healthy, they often prevent pest populations from reaching damaging levels in the first place. That's one reason experienced gardeners focus on building a balanced ecosystem instead of trying to eliminate every insect they see.

Even Small Insectaries Make a Difference

You don't need a dedicated wildflower meadow to attract beneficial insects.

A few clumps of sweet alyssum beside your tomatoes, flowering herbs mixed into the vegetable garden, or several native perennials tucked into ornamental beds can dramatically increase beneficial insect activity. Every source of nectar and pollen helps create a landscape where predators can live close to the pests they naturally control.

Much like a rain gauge helps you understand how much water your garden actually receives, insectary plants help you work with nature instead of relying on guesswork. Both encourage careful observation, allowing you to make better gardening decisions over time.

The healthiest gardens rarely depend on a single solution. Healthy soil, proper watering, diverse plantings, pollinator habitat, and beneficial insects all work together to create a landscape that is naturally more resilient.

Continue Exploring

If you'd like to create an even more wildlife-friendly garden, these articles pair well with insectary plants:

• Pollinators vs. Predatory Insects: What's the Difference? – Understand the different roles beneficial insects play in a healthy ecosystem.
• Beyond Bees: Little-Known Pollinators – Meet some of the overlooked insects responsible for pollinating flowers and food crops.
• How Outdoor Lighting Harms Insects – Learn how artificial light affects beneficial insects and simple ways to reduce the impact.
• How Insects Build Healthy Soil – See how insects contribute to decomposition, nutrient cycling, and soil fertility.
• How to Help Insects During Drought – Support beneficial insects when hot, dry weather reduces natural food and water sources.
• What Are Host Plants? – Understand why many butterflies and moths need specific plants to complete their life cycle.
• Get Your Yard Certified As A Wildlife Habitat – Turn your garden into a landscape that supports birds, pollinators, and beneficial insects throughout the year.