Skip to main content

Beneficial Insects Videos

Illinois Native Pollinators

When it comes to pollination, honey bees get a majority of the attention. However, many insects play a role in pollination. listen to University of Illinois Extension Educator Ken Johnson as he discusses native pollinators. Ken will discuss different native pollinators and how to make your...

Good Bugs in the Garden

Not all insects we find in our gardens are pests. In fact, most insects aren’t pests at all. Ken Johnson will explore the most common beneficial insects and ways to attract them to your garden.

Spiders are your Friends

Spiders are some of the most misunderstood animals out there. While a few may be harmful, the vast majority pose no threat to us and are beneficial. This presentation will dispel some of the misconceptions surrounding spiders as well as cover some commonly encountered spiders in Illinois....

Tips for Pollinators and Favorite Plants

We give helpful tips for helping out pollinators plus our favorite pollinator plants. Plus, tons of resources if you’re looking to include pollinator habitat in your landscape.

  • 0:26 - Hi Katie!
  • ...
Monarch Butterfly Status Update with Brodie Dunn

Brodie Dunn chats about the recent listing of the monarch butterfly as an endangered species by the IUCN. What does that mean for us in Illinois where monarchs spend their summers? We dive into the most recent scientific publications to determine how the monarch population is doing according to...

What's That Bug? How to Identify Insects

Have you ever spotted an insect and wondered what type of insect it was? Insects are all around us and play important roles in our ecosystems. Explore how to identify different groups of insects commonly found in Illinois.

 

The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly Insects with Dr. Kacie Athey

Dr. Kacie Athey is an assistant professor and faculty extension specialist at University of Illinois and contributes much of her research into non-chemical insect control in specialty crop systems. Join us as we discuss biocontrols, where to use them, and how they work.

  • ...
Climate change and insects with Kacie Athey

On this week’s Good Growing Podcast, we chat with assistant professor and faculty Extension specialist Kacie Athey about climate change and insects. We discuss what impacts our changing climate may have on insects, like will we see range expansions, more generations, more plant damage, phenology...