The Tiny Pirate Bug Packs a Big Punch

You can’t always judge a book by its cover. Powerful creatures can often come in tiny packages. Such is the case with the pirate bug. The minute pirate bug is so small that it can be difficult to spot with the human eye. They are only 1/8 of an inch long when fully grown, so they can be pretty difficult to spot. But this beneficial bug can take care of much of your garden pest problem. These voracious little critters love munching on soft bodied insects such as spider mites, aphids, thrips, whiteflies, all insect eggs, as well as young caterpillars. If you have a garden, you definitely want these guys in it.

Pirate bugs are prized among gardeners, due to their incredible ability to wipe out pests. One pirate bug will devour two to three dozen mites a day. Imagine having a whole group of them in your garden! The only downside is for some reason during the summer pirate bugs sometimes mistake humans for insects, and accidentally bite them. The bites are quite painful, but are nothing to worry too much about, as the pain doesn’t last long, and is generally temporary.

Do you have pirate bugs in your garden? What kinds of benefits have you observed?