Harmful
Wireworms
Though the larvae are known as wireworms, adult insects in the family Elateridae are known as click beetles.
Entomology
Neutral
Anthocoridae
Minute Pirate Bugs
(Family: Anthocoridae)
Minute Pirate Bugs (Family Anthocoridae) are small Hemipterans that are often used as biological controls. They are very small, 1-5mm, but feed on a wide variety of insect pests. They have elongated bodies covered in wings that are often black and white spotted.
Helpful
Coccinellidae
Lady Bugs
Ladybugs, ladybirds, and lady beetles (Family Coccinellidae)
These beetles have been loved by gardeners for years.
Neutral
Staphylinidae
Assassin Bug
Family: Reduviidae).
These “true bugs” (Order: Hemiptera) are often misidentified as pest insects. The tip of their proboscis (the pokey mouth-part thing) differentiates them from similar bugs.
Harmful
Aleyrodidae
Whiteflies
(Family: Aleyrodidae)
Whiteflies (Family Aleyrodidae). Despite their name, whiteflies are not actually true flies but rather closely related to aphids and mealybugs.
Harmful
Cabbage Looper
Loopers are easily identified in their larval stage because they crawl by arching their backs, creating a “loop.”
Harmful
Noctuidae
Fruit Worms
(Species: Helicoverpa zea)
This moth species belongs to the dreaded family of moths called Noctuidae. Within this family, you can find other agricultural pests often referred to as cutworms.
Helpful
Syrphidae
Syrphid Flies
(Family: Syrphidae)
If you can get close enough, make sure to count the wings. Two wings, and you’ve got a fly; four wings, and watch out – it’s a bee or wasp!
Harmful
Caelifera
Grasshoppers
(Suborder: Caelifera, grasshoppers and relatives)
Grasshoopers generally have wings and large back hopping legs. You can differentiate them from crickets by looking at their antennae—cricket antennae are usually long, since they’re nocturnal insects, so they use those long “feelers” to help with walking around.
Harmful
Galerucinae
Flea Beetles
(Family: Chrysomelidae)
These little cuties are unfortunately a huge issue for many tomato growers.
Helpful
Polistinae
Paper Wasps
(Subfamily Polistinae)
Though these wasps can be known for stings, they are not usually aggressive unless they are protecting their nests. They are also not scavengers such as yellow jackets, so they are less likely to aggravate your next picnic. However, they are fantastic pollinators and predators.
Helpful
Chalcidoidea
Chalcid Wasps
(Family: Chalcididae)
Chalcids are parasitoids of several groups of insects including Diptera (flies), Lepidoptera (butterflies and moths), Coleoptera (beetles), and Hymenoptera (true bugs). Some deposit eggs inside their hosts’ eggs while others attack the nymphs.
Helpful
Tettigoniidae
Katydids
(Family: Tettigoniidae)
These cryptic insects are closely related to crickets and grasshoppers.
Helpful
Mantodea
Mantids
(Order Mantodea)
Mantises are ambush predators are usually green, brown, or gray in color to camouflage from not only their predators but their prey! Mantises are known for their extra bendy forelimbs that give the appearance that they are praying.
Helpful
Chrysopidae
Green Lacewings
(Family: Chrysopidae)
Adult green lacewings are generally about ¾” long with light green bodies and delicate wings that are often the same color.
Harmful
Liriomyza
Leaf Miners
Leaf-mining flies
(Genus: Liriomyza)
The larva create tunnels in the mesophyll, leaving the epidermis intact. This will resemble light colored “squiggles” on the leaves.
Harmful
Sphingidae
Hornworms
(Family: Sphingidae)
These large caterpillars often reach 5 inches in length and are most easily identified by the “horn” protruding from the tip of their abdomen.
Harmful
Coreidae
Leaf-Footed Bugs
Leaf-footed Bugs get their common name from the leaf-like extension found on the hind legs of many species.
Harmful
Tetranychidae
Spider Mites
(Family: Tetranychidae)
Spider mites are not insects but arachnids (think spiders, scorpions, etc.) that damage plant cells by piercing them to feed. These are VERY SMALL and are often not noticed until their population has exploded.
Harmful
Green June Beetle
Green June beetles are well known and hated by many gardeners; their other aliases are June bugs or June beetles. Though considered pests in both larval and adult stages, the grubs are known to be more destructive in most settings.
Helpful
Tachinid Fly
Tachinid flies are a family of parasitoids (parasites that kill their host). Though they sound a little scary, they’re actually great to have around!
Neutral
Blattodea
Cockroaches
(Order Blattodea)
Cockroaches often have a small head and a broad, flattened body. If wings are present, they are folded over the backside of the body.
Harmful
Aphididae
Aphids
(Family Aphididae)
This is one bug I think most people can identify immediately.
Neutral
Staphylinidae
Rove Beetles
Staphylinidae is the largest family of beetles with over 63,000 described species. Estimates suggest over 75% of tropical species have yet be discovered!
Neutral
Diplopoda
Millipedes
(Class Diplopoda)
Millipedes are looooooong bugs that generally have round, worm-like bodies with lots of tiny legs. They are generally nocturnal and hide in leaf litter and soil during the day.
Harmful
Thysanoptera
Thrips
(Order Thysanoptera)
A thrips (no, that’s not a typo—there’s no such thing as a thrip!) is a bizarre, minute insect. They are typically less than 1 mm long with slender bodies, fringed wings and weird lopsided mouth parts.
Helpful
Coccinellidae
Mealybug Destroyers
(Genus: Cryptolaemus)
The adults have the general shape of ladybugs but usually lack the bright colors and spots. The larvae are fluffy, white, and actually resemble mealybugs.
Helpful
Araneae
Spiders
(Class: Araneae)
Though spiders are often feared by many people, they are quite beneficial in your garden! They are efficient predators and primarily feed on insects.
Helpful
Salticidae
Jumping Spiders
(Family: Salticidae)
Jumping Spiders can be distinguished from other spider families by their large eyes and quick jumping abilities.
Harmful
Pseudococcidae
Mealybugs
(Family: Pseudococcidae)
These unarmored scale insects damage tomatoes by feeding on their plant saps and secreting a sweet concoction known as “honeydew,” which encourages the growth of sooty molds. They also are known to transmit diseases.
Harmful
Diaspididae
Armored Scale
(Family: Diaspididae)
Armored scale insects are known as one of the more frustrating pests and often don’t look like insects at all. These tiny sap-suckers create protective, waterproof coverings to fend off the elements and predators.
Neutral
Dermaptera
Earwigs
(Order Dermaptera)
Earwigs are small, long insects that are most easily identified by their abdominal pincers and short wings that cover a small portion of their body.
Harmful
Coccidae
Soft Scale
(Family: Coccidae)
Soft Scale is a very diverse family of insects so there is often exceptions in physical appearance. Though they may not look like insects, these Hemipterans are related to aphids, whiteflies, and mealybugs.
Harmful
Noctuidae
Cutworms
(Family: Noctuidae)
These caterpillars are the larvae of some moths in the family Noctuidae. They get their name from their behavior of cutting small plants at the base of the stem. Since there are so many species, they come in a variety of colors and patterns, so damage is the best way to identify them.
Helpful
Braconidae
Braconid Wasps
(Family: Braconidae)
Braconids are usually small wasps that are often black or brown in color. The antenna have 16 segments or more and the females generally have long ovipositors (egg laying organs).
Harmful
Pentatomidae
Stink Bugs
(Family: Pentatomidae)
Like other pest Hemipterans, these insects feed on plant sap with their piercing-sucking mouthparts. They can greatly weaken plants especially if the population is large.