🐝 Can You Name That Garden Beneficial?

[TEG Project Manager]

Gardens are full of life—and not all of it is bad news! While pests get all the blame, there’s a hidden army of hardworking allies quietly protecting your plants, enriching your soil, and boosting your blooms.

But how well do you know your garden’s good guys? Take this quiz to test your knowledge of beneficial wildlife—bugs, birds, and more! Keep track of your answers (A, B, C, or D), then check your score at the end.

1. Which of these insects is known for controlling aphids in the garden?
A) Japanese Beetle
B) Ladybug
C) Cabbage Moth
D) Tick

2. What role do earthworms play in garden soil?
A) They eat plant roots
B) They destroy compost
C) They aerate soil and enrich it with castings
D) They attract moles

3. Which beneficial insect is known for pollination and lives in solitary tubes or holes?
A) Honeybee
B) Mason Bee
C) Firefly
D) Horsefly

4. Which garden guest eats caterpillars and other pests, and has a spiny orange-and-black larval stage?
A) Praying Mantis
B) Lacewing
C) Ladybug
D) Earwig

5. Which of these is a ground-dwelling beetle that hunts slugs, snails, and other pests at night?
A) Squash Bug
B) Click Beetle
C) Ground Beetle
D) Stink Bug

6. What insect is nicknamed the “aphid lion” for its appetite?
A) Lacewing Larva
B) Spider
C) Hoverfly
D) Bee

7. Which bird is especially helpful in the garden for eating caterpillars, slugs, and beetles?
A) Dove
B) Blue Tit
C) Owl
D) Finch

8. What role do mycorrhizal fungi play in gardening?
A) They decompose garden pests
B) They fight fungal diseases
C) They form a symbiotic relationship with plant roots
D) They kill weed seeds

9. Which flying insect mimics a bee but is actually a powerful pollinator in its own right?
A) Wasp
B) Hornet
C) Hoverfly
D) Ant

10. Which of these practices best encourages beneficial insects to thrive in your garden?
A) Using chemical pesticides weekly
B) Leaving bare soil all winter
C) Planting a variety of flowering plants
D) Tilling every month

Ready to check your answers?

Spoiler: 🟢 Click to Reveal Answers

1. B) Ladybug
2. C) They aerate soil and enrich it with castings
3. B) Mason Bee
4. C) Ladybug
5. C) Ground Beetle
6. A) Lacewing Larva
7. B) Blue Tit
8. C) They form a symbiotic relationship with plant roots
9. C) Hoverfly
10. C) Planting a variety of flowering plants

So, how did you do?

Spoiler: Scoring Guide

9–10 correct – Beneficial Boss!
You know your garden allies inside and out. Your garden is a paradise for pollinators and pest controllers alike.

6–8 correct – Budding Expert
You’re on your way to being a natural gardening guru. A few more compost heaps and hoverflies and you’ll be there!

3–5 correct – Getting There
You know a few friends in the garden, but there’s more to meet. Stick around and learn with the community!

0–2 correct – Just Sprouting
Hey, every expert starts somewhere. You’ve just taken your first step to growing a healthier, more balanced garden!

Which question surprised you the most? Have you seen any of these garden allies in action lately? Share your results and stories below!

 

[flowerbug]

the surprise for me was the click beetle. the one i missed was the blue tit (we don't have those in the USoA).