Build a Beetle Bump for Your Backyard

Attracting predatory insects into our gardens

Ground Beetles & Friends Welcome 

Reasonable Rates

Spider - Beth Reis Photography

One of the ways a city like Cleveland, Ohio, USA attract young professional is to build quality housing, one of the ways to attract ground beetles (Coleoptera) is to build Beetle Banks. That is long a furrow speckled with native wildflowers, grasses and sedges parallel to farm fields. Since, our planting space is limited we opted to create a Beetle Bump,  a smaller version of a bank.

Dogbane Beetle - ODNR Division of Wildlife

 Why, you might ask are we striving to attract ground beetles into our nursery? The answer, these fellows along with: spiders, Hover Flies, Green Lacewings, Lady Beetles and Minute Pirate Bugs pulverize gardens pest like: slugs, aphids, fly maggots, mite, slugs and snails. 
 
So how do we entice these nocturnal, Vikings to taking up residency in our gardens? Advertise!! You don't need a flashing neon billboard; subtle blooms and fragrances radiating from Ohio native plants will spark their curiosity enough for them to glide in and grab a snack. When creating your Beetle Bump consider using building material that beetles are fond of: leaves, sticks, native grasses, sledges and native plants will do the trick.