Garden heroes, small and mighty

When it comes to gardening, sometimes the best thing you can do is … nothing. That’s advice from UM entomologists Jason Gibbs and Cecil Montemayor Aizpurúa, who say that leaving nature to its own devices can be the key to a thriving, biodiverse garden.

Keeping — and enhancing — the habitat you have helps to support pollinators and bio-diversity, notes Gibbs, who is an associate professor in entomology.

Fruiting trees, flowering shrubs and plants, fruits and vegetables, herbs, flowers, grasses or ground covers such as clover, as well as surrounding natural or forested areas, provide important habitat areas for pollinators. Gibbs emphasizes that bee diversity beyond honeybees — which often receive sole credit for pollination — is what truly matters. Though most of Canada’s commercial honey is sourced from the Prairies, wild bees are bigger contributors to pollination than managed bees.

In fact, Manitoba is home to around 400 species of bees, including mason bees, mining bees and the tiny and ubiquitous sweat bees, each playing a unique role in pollination.

“So having 10 sweat bees is not as good as having a sweat bee, a mason bee, a miner bee, a honeybee, and a bumblebee,” Gibbs explains. Studies show that apple orchards with a wide variety of bee species produce bigger and better fruit.

Do not disturb: Other unsung heroes

But it’s not just about pollinators. Beneath the soil and among the leaves, a hidden army of beneficial insects is hard at work.

Cecil Montemayor Aizpurúa, who is a PhD student in entomology at UM, highlights several unsung heroes of the garden.

Ground beetles, for example, are nocturnal predators that feast on slugs and caterpillars. Ants, often misunderstood, help aerate soil and recycle nutrients. On leaves and flowers, green lacewing larvae (nicknamed “aphid lions”) hunt pests, while minute pirate bugs and hoverfly larvae keep aphid populations in check.

“Many of these insects thrive when we minimize soil disturbance and support habitat diversity,” says Montemayor Aizpurúa. Simple practices like avoiding over-tilling and planting flowering borders can make a big difference. In the fall, leave dried flowers and stems standing, along with leaf litter; let messy and natural parts of your yard stay undisturbed.

Next time you’re tempted to tidy up your garden, consider letting nature take the lead.

“Take a moment to observe your garden up close,” Montemayor Aizpurúa suggests. “You might be surprised by what you find. There’s a whole world of bugs right under our noses, quietly working to keep the garden in balance.”