6 Bugs You Actually Want to See Near Your Home in New York

Invasive caterpillars and painful, pesky gnats are the talk of the Hudson Valley this season. If you've stepped outside any time between late April and now, you've probably seen them. These are two pests that you definitely do not want around your home.

However, there are a couple of bugs that are actually a benefit to have around or even sometimes inside of your home.

Let's check 'em out:

Centipedes

I recently came home to a centipede in my apartment and was absolutely not amused. They are FAST! My initial thought was to get this thing out of my apartment as soon as possible but also without touching it because WOW those look funky.

However, centipedes are actually pretty beneficial in that they often deter bigger, more threatening pests like roaches. I personally prefer my centipedes patrolling outside of my home, but just know if you do see one inside, it's not causing harm and you shouldn't kill it.

Ladybugs 

Whoever started the PR campaign for ladybugs did something right. Some people even think a ladybug landing on you is a sign of good luck! However, ladybugs do a lot of good for your garden. They eat mites, fruit flies, and other pesky bugs that can eat away at your garden.

You don't want to squish ladybugs, but once temperatures begin to drop ladybugs tend to try and find warmth inside your house, and they can come in droves. They won't do any physical harm to you and are more of a nuisance than anything.

Praying Mantises

These bugs are some of the best bugs to see in your garden and your home. While seeing one inside may cause a little stress, take solace in knowing Praying Mantises do a great job at eating other, much worse pests like moths, mosquitos, and roaches. According to Safer Brand, Praying Mantises can sometimes even eat small rodents.

Praying Mantises also don't bite humans so you won't need to worry about that.

Honey Bees

Harming a honey bee is a quick way to harm our ecosystem, so don't go around killing these! Honey bees are some of the most important pollinators we have. They not only help flowers grow, but they help crops that we eat grow as well.

If you see a honey bee in your home, kindly escort it outside and go about your day.

Earwigs

I always had nightmares of earwigs crawling into my ears at night and building a home, so I was not very pleased to see that Breda Pest suggested not killing this bug. Earwigs eat other dead bugs and decaying plants for lunch so they can actually be really beneficial for gardens.

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Rest assured though it is a complete myth that earwigs go into ear canals to lay eggs, according to Turner Pest Control.

Tachinid Flies

These flies are not only great at keeping threatening pests away from your garden, but they are also big benefits to our ecosystem. Also geat at pollinating plants, the Tachinid fly is a good thing to see floating around your garden.