Learning to live with bugs

Many gardeners are wary of insects. Yet most of them are essential to the health of your plants, flowers and garden. A little guide on how to live with our tiny friends.

Did you know?

This is the number of known insect species in the world.

97% of them are not harmful. On the contrary, they aerate our soils, feed the earth, get rid of predators and protect our ecosystems.

This is the proportion of plants that depend on insects for reproduction.

And it's not just bees that carry pollen, but also butterflies, moths and ladybirds.

Pro Tip

How can you invite more beneficial insects into your garden? Cultivate annual and perennial flowers. In fact, they love to drink the nectar of yarrow, cosmos, heliotropes, daisies, clover flowers, goldenrod and zinnia. Ask our botanical experts for advice on how to take care of them.

We love them PASSIONATELY

Ladybugs

100, that's the quantity of aphids that ladybugs eat on a daily basis. They are valuable allies when it comes to defending your garden.

Spiders

All spiders are beneficial, no exceptions! In addition to serve as food for certain animals, they are expert hunters that protect the ecological balance of your garden!

We love them MODERATELY

Wasps

Visitors are welcome to drop by. They eat the parasites in your garden. However, if they decide to settle near your home, that’s another story. To get rid of them, wait until nightfall. As soon as they snore, wrap the nest with a plastic bag. Tear it off, tie the bag and freeze it. You can throw it away later.

Earwigs

The only thing scary is their name. They're even useful for fighting aphids and other parasites. However, if they run out of insects to eat, they can attack the leaves of your garden. So, trap them with a small container filled with vegetable oil, they love it.

We love them FAR AWAY FROM THE GARDEN

Slugs

At night, they stuff themselves in your garden. You can easily pick them with the help of a flashlight. Toads love them too. You can also trap them with a can filled with beer and buried in the ground.

Aphids

Voracious, they devour everything in their path: plants, vegetables, flowers, shrubs... If ladybirds, spiders and wasps are not enough to get rid of them, fill a yellow dish with soapy water. They love that colour to death...

Pro Tip

They can’t help it: light attracts insects at night. If you don't need it, turn off the outdoor lighting in the evening. It's a simple trick and it helps you reduce light pollution that interferes with the cycle of nocturnal animals.

Parasites are the gardener's bugbear. All sorts of ecological solutions exist to repel invaders:

Install a screen to keep small animals away.
Remove slugs and overeating snails with baits. You'll find some in-store.
Get rid of aphids with a mixture of water and black soap. Even better, use insecticidal soap.
Control fungi by spraying sulphur or lime on fruit trees or roses.

Learning to live with bugs

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Learning to live with bugs

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