Aphid midges
- Helps control
- Aphids
- Attract or support with
- Dill
Rose Resources
Beneficial insects in the rose garden.
Not every insect needs to be removed. A balanced rose garden has predators, pollinators, and decomposers working alongside the plants.
Garden Guide
Beneficial predatory insects for roses
Identify helpful insects, what they eat, and which companion plants can help bring them into the garden.
Companion plants can make a rose bed more welcoming to helpful predators, especially when blooms and herbs are available nearby.
Avoid broad treatments until you know whether the insect is helping, harming, or simply passing through.
Beneficial predatory insects and what they help control
Use these garden allies to reduce pest pressure while supporting a healthier rose bed.
Assassin bug
- Helps control
- Aphids and beetles
- Attract or support with
- Queen Anne's lace, daisies, dill, fennel, and alfalfa
Braconid wasp
- Helps control
- Aphids, caterpillars, beetles, and flies
- Attract or support with
- Dill and parsley
Damsel bug
- Helps control
- Aphids and mites
- Attract or support with
- Caraway, spearmint, and fennel
Green lacewing
- Helps control
- Aphids, whiteflies, and leafhoppers
- Attract or support with
- Dill, angelica, and coriander
Ladybug
- Helps control
- Aphids, leafhoppers, and mites
- Attract or support with
- Dill and fennel
Hoverfly
- Helps control
- Aphids and scale insects
- Attract or support with
- Yarrow, dill, or basket of gold
Minute pirate bug
- Helps control
- Aphids, spider mites, and thrips
- Attract or support with
- Alfalfa and daisies
Praying mantis
- Helps control
- Moths, beetles, and crickets
- Attract or support with
- Dill and marigolds
Soldier beetle
- Helps control
- Aphids
- Attract or support with
- Perennials
Spider
- Helps control
- Aphids, caterpillars, and grasshoppers
- Attract or support with
- Plants within 3 feet so spiders can spin webs
Tachinid fly
- Helps control
- Japanese beetles and sawflies
- Attract or support with
- Dill, parsley, clover, and herbs
A practical garden rule
When you see insect activity, pause long enough to decide whether it is helping, harming, or simply passing through. Broad treatments can remove the helpers that keep later pest pressure lower.