The answer to our question about good bugs is a definite YES, for there are many kinds of insects that are beneficial. And one way in which they do good is by killing and eating certain other insects that are harmful. Much of this we are not aware of, because it goes on so quietly and in places we are not likely to visit.
One good insect is called the mealy-bug destroyer. It makes its home in certain plants and trees where mealy-bugs do lots of damage by boring into plant stems and eating the sap that is as important to the plant as blood is to an animal. The mealybug destroyer and other "destroyers" do a tremendous amount of good.
Another good one in the garden is the lacewing. This is a pretty, green little creature with delicate, lace-like wings and a pair of long "feelers" coming out in front of brilliant eyes. Possibly some of us have killed these with insect spray without realizing they are good helpers. They eat countless destructive aphids and other harmful bugs.
Still another is a little wasp by the name of El Formosa. It has a special appetite for whiteflies which are harmful insects doing tremendous damage to all kinds of plants and trees. Some garden stores have these for sale when whiteflies are particularly troublesome, and gardeners use large quantities of El Formosas to help fight them.
Ladybugs are probably known by most of us as good and helpful in gardens. We should be careful to treat them kindly, and be thankful if you see some of them on your plants and flowers.
While many snails are harmful in gardens, there are some helpful ones. One of these is the Decollate variety, marked with a pretty corkscrew tail. Its principal food is the harmful common garden snail.
Then there is the praying mantis that feeds on many harmful insects, and a beetle by the name of seven-spot that has an appetite for aphids. Many farmers purchase them in big quantities from garden stores every year.
Of course we all know the value of honey from bees and silk threads from silkworms. Altogether there are more than 600 "good bugs" that farmers and plant nurseries use to help fight a continual war against harmful ones.
These harmful insects remind us of what sin has brought into the world. The good insects speak of the Creator's wisdom in providing ways to overcome the bad. It should make us think, too, of the love and grace of God in providing a way for boys and girls, as well as adults, to overcome their sins. God sent His Son, the Lord Jesus, into the world to bear the sins of all who will trust in Him as their Savior through His death on Calvary's cross. Have you let Him wash away your sins?