Bugs you can safely ignore (or even thank)

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Not every bug in your raised bed is out to get your veggies. In fact, most aren't. Before you reach for a spray, it pays to know the difference between the baddies, the good guys, and the big group in the middle: the harmless ones just quietly going about their business. Spray-first gardening kills the lot — including the ones keeping your real pests in check.

Which bugs can you almost always leave alone?

• Slaters — armoured compost crew; recyclers, not plant-eaters (mostly).
• Millipedes — slow decomposers turning dead leaves into humus.
• Springtails — tiny jumpers; a sign your mix is alive and healthy.
• Crickets — noisy but minor; food for the birds and lizards.
• Spiders — free pest patrol, working the night shift.
• Ants — neutral in themselves, but a tip-off that aphids or scale might be about.
• Native bees — your best pollinators, especially for tomatoes and capsicums.

What's the rule of thumb?

If a bug isn't a known pest and isn't there in big enough numbers to be doing visible damage, leave it be. A healthy garden is a busy one — the more life in your bed, the more your pests get eaten before they ever become a problem.

See what actually is a problem in your area, and when, with the Garden Trouble Calendar — and meet the active good guys in our beneficial wildlife guides.

Image: Graham Wise, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.