They can be helpful or harmful to the farm and its crops. Other important bugs help carry pollen from the flowers of plants to the flowers of other plants as they fly around. This process, called pollination, is needed for plants to reproduce and make fruits, vegetables and seeds. Instead of using chemical pesticides, organic farmers buy or raise beneficial insects and release them in the fields to control pests. At Earthbound Farm, we encourage good bugs to live on our farm by growing the kinds of plants around our fields that we know beneficials especially like.
Lacewings eat aphids, mealybugs, thrips and caterpillar eggs.
Hoverflies are voracious eaters who can eat aphids that are twice their size. Honeybees help to pollinate our crops' flowers while gathering their food. Many farmers keep beehives on their farms to ensure the pollination of their crops. Butterflies, hummingbirds and some types of wasps also help with pollination as they fly from flower to flower. Smart Seeds 4.