On-farm insectaries are areas of flowering plants that attract and maintain beneficial insect populations by providing shelter from highly disturbed crop areas as well as alternative food sources, namely pollen and nectar.

The goal of on-farm insectaries is to enhance diversity and abundance of beneficial insects on your farm to build resilience, particularly against seasonal variations and pest incursions. Acting as a ‘fixed home address’ for beneficial insects to interact with your crop, they complement cultural and biological control methods of your integrated pest management (IPM) program.

The advantages of planting native vegetation compared to non-native vegetation are numerous and include lower likelihood of harbouring pests and diseases that can affect crops, longer flowering windows, lower maintenance and water requirements, and increased habitat and connectivity that better supports native biodiversity including native beneficial insects.

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Updated: August 2021