Bug hotels and companion planting only work if the bugs actually turn up. Turns out you can order them by the thousand from an old butter factory in Queensland.
While I was writing my Growing Exposed article, I came across companion planting, beneficial bugs, and bug hotels. It got me thinking. Where do those bugs actually come from? Do growers just go out and catch some? Do they buy them? I wasn’t sure, so I went looking.
Turns out you can literally buy bugs. In Australia. By the thousand. There’s an industry breeding predatory insects here that’s been running since 1981, and most people growing anything at home have no idea it exists.
Australian growers buy beneficial insects from commercial insectaries and release them onto the crop instead of spraying. The main supplier is Bugs for Bugs in Mundubbera, Queensland, who have bred them since 1981. There’s a predator or parasite for every common pest, most of them under $50, and they arrive in the post. The full pest-by-pest breakdown is in the table below.
First, a Quick Glossary
This corner of growing has its own vocabulary, and most of it turns up on the supplier product pages. Here’s the short version so the rest of this makes sense.
| Term | What it means |
|---|---|
| Parasitoid | A bug that kills its host by growing inside it. The adult lays an egg in or on the pest, the young hatches and feeds on it from the inside, and eventually an adult parasitoid emerges instead of a pest. Most of the tiny wasps on this page work this way. |
| Parasitise | What a parasitoid does. “The wasp parasitises the aphid” means it laid an egg in it, and an aphid is not coming out of that. |
| Host-specific | A predator or parasitoid that only goes after one thing. Brilliant if you’ve identified the pest correctly, useless if you haven’t. |
| Larva / nymph | The juvenile stages of an insect. Many beneficials target these rather than the adults, because that’s where they’re most vulnerable. |
| Slow-release sachet | A small pouch that hangs in the canopy and drip-feeds predators out over several weeks instead of all at once. |
The Bug Farm in Queensland
The company that kept coming up is Bugs for Bugs. They’ve been breeding beneficial insects since 1981 out of an old butter factory in Mundubbera, Queensland, where they run more than 50 climate-controlled rooms just for raising insects. Feeding them takes around 250 tonnes of butternut squash and 24 tonnes of wheat a year.
So no, growers aren’t out there with nets. Someone is farming the bugs that other farmers release onto their crops. The approach has a name, integrated pest management, and it’s been standard in Australian horticulture for decades: release predators that hunt the pests for you, and only reach for compatible sprays as a last resort. It’s how organic growers keep a crop clean without the chemicals.
Common Pests and the Bugs That Hunt Them
Growers deal with the same rogues’ gallery, whether it’s a commercial greenhouse or a backyard veggie patch. For nearly every pest, there’s something bred to hunt it. Every predator below links straight to its product page.
| Pest ↕ | What it does ↕ | What hunts it ↕ | Supplied as ↕ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spider mites | Breed fast in hot, dry conditions and web the whole canopy before most people notice | Persimilis — a predatory mite that eats spider mites and their eggs and little else | Packs of 2,000 or 10,000 |
| Aphids | Suck sap, stunt growth, spread plant viruses, and leave honeydew that grows sooty mould | Green lacewings — general predators, best for hitting a hotspot hard Spotted ladybirds — a native species, adults and larvae both feed Aphidius colemani — tiny wasps that parasitise aphids directly | Eggs, adults, pupae |
| Thrips | Rasp at leaves and flowers, and carry viruses from plant to plant | Cucumeris — predatory mites that eat around six thrips larvae a day Orius — predatory bugs, released preventatively once pollen is about | Tubes, sachets, tubs |
| Fungus gnats | Adults are just annoying; the larvae chew roots in wet media | Hypoaspis — soil-dwelling predatory mites, tubs of 20,000 Parasitic nematodes — applied to moist media, working at root level | Tubs, liquid |
| Whitefly | Sit under the leaves in clouds, sucking sap | Montdorensis — predatory mites that take both whitefly and thrips juveniles | Tubes of 10,000 |
| Caterpillars | Destroy buds from the inside out | Trichogramma pretiosum — parasitise the moth eggs so they never hatch | Sheets of 30,000 or 60,000 |
A few of these are cheaper than you’d expect. Five hundred Aphidius pupae runs about $35, and a half-sheet of 30,000 Trichogramma is in the same ballpark. The Aphidius product page even lists cannabis alongside the nursery and veggie crops they’re used in. As someone with a caterpillar problem at home, I already have a cart going.
The Pests, One by One
Spider Mites
The one growers dread most, and the one that ruins runs. They love hot and dry, they breed absurdly fast, and by the time you see webbing on the tips you’ve already lost ground.
The counter is elegant: Phytoseiulus persimilis is a predatory mite that eats spider mites and their eggs and basically nothing else. Set a mite to catch a mite. Adults get through up to 20 young or 7 adult spider mites a day, and at 25°C they multiply twice as fast as their prey. Because they’re so specialised they can’t live on pollen or anything else, so they work best released straight onto known hotspots. Bugs for Bugs also list Californicus as the tougher, more tolerant option on their spider mite page.
Aphids
Sap-suckers that stunt growth and vector plant viruses, and the honeydew they leave behind turns into sooty mould, which blocks light and fouls up the plant. They have three separate hunters available, and they do different jobs. Green lacewings (Mallada signatus) are hardy native generalists that also take caterpillars, mealybugs and scale, so they’re your option for hitting an established hotspot hard. Spotted ladybirds are a native Australian species where both the adults and the larvae feed on aphids, though they need a decent pest population to establish and may clear out once numbers drop. Aphidius colemani are tiny wasps that parasitise aphids directly, and they’re the preventative play: short generation time, brilliant at seeking out low-level infestations before they blow up. All three are covered on the Bugs for Bugs aphid page.
Thrips and Whitefly
Both are greenhouse classics and both get handled by specialists. Thrips rasp at the leaf surface and drain the cells underneath, which is what leaves that stippled silver-and-tan speckling behind. They will also move viruses from plant to plant.
On the control side, Cucumeris predatory mites patrol the foliage and eat around six thrips larvae a day. Because they can also live on pollen, they can go out preventatively in a flowering crop rather than waiting for a problem, and Orius predatory bugs round out the thrips program. Worth reading the thrips page before you order, because correct pest ID matters more here than anywhere else.
Whitefly are the other half of this problem, sitting in clouds under the leaves and sucking sap until the plant yellows off. Montdorensis is the two-for-one: it feeds on the juvenile stages of both thrips and whitefly, and the two mites are sold together as slow-release sachet pairs. Their whitefly page covers the options.
Fungus Gnats
The adults are mostly an annoyance. The larvae are the actual problem, chewing roots in wet media and opening the door to root disease. The catch is that root damage shows up in the canopy, so it gets misread as a feeding issue and chased with nutrients while the real cause is sitting in the pot.
This one gets fought at ground level rather than in the canopy. Hypoaspis (now Stratiolaelaps scimitus) are robust soil-dwelling mites that hunt fungus gnat eggs and larvae, and they’ll also take thrips that drop to the soil to pupate, which makes them do double duty. They come in tubs of 20,000 and work best released preventatively, straight after planting, rather than once you’ve got a problem. If levels are already high, parasitic nematodes (Steinernema feltiae) are the complementary treatment. More on the pest itself on the fungus gnat page.
Caterpillars
The bud destroyers, and the ones that break hearts late in flower. They bore in through the middle of a bud and eat their way out, and the frass they leave behind is what brings on bud rot.
Trichogramma pretiosum are wasps under half a millimetre long that parasitise moth eggs, so the caterpillar never hatches in the first place. That’s the whole trick with this one: you’re not killing caterpillars, you’re preventing them. Timing is everything, because releasing after you’ve found chewed buds is already too late for that generation. They’re also extremely sensitive to insecticides, so they only really suit organic or IPM-run crops. Bugs for Bugs cover the timing in detail on their caterpillar page.
What It Looks Like on an Organic Farm
This is exactly how it runs at scale at Superbly Green’s cannabis living soil farm in the Byron Hinterland. No spray program. Beneficials released across the greenhouse, and the predators handle pest control. Here’s the full Growing Exposed tour.
If you read my earlier piece on the farm’s companion planting and bug hotels, this is the missing puzzle piece. The releases build the population, the coriander, basil, dill, lavender, thyme and mint feed the adults nectar, and the bug hotels give them somewhere to live when a run comes down. On a crop that turns over every couple of months, that shelter is the difference between a colony that stays and one that leaves. Once the system’s established it largely runs itself. That’s the bit people miss when they see a photo of a bug hotel and file it under nice touch.
Why Not Just Spray?
Because a broad-spectrum spray doesn’t distinguish between the bug eating your plant and the bug eating that bug. You knock the pest down, you also wipe out every predator that was keeping it in check, and the pest almost always rebounds faster than the predators do. It’s the same logic behind the mess with PGRs: a shortcut that looks like a fix and costs you later.
| Approach | What it hits | Residue | The verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
| Beneficial insects (IPM) | The target pest, mostly | None | Slower to start, self-sustaining once established |
| Broad-spectrum pesticide | Pests and predators alike | Yes | Fast knockdown, then the pest rebounds first |
| Compatible spot spray | Localised outbreaks | Low | Fine as a last resort alongside beneficials |
Bugs for Bugs are upfront that biological control isn’t a guarantee. Outcomes depend on getting the pest ID right, the pest density, the environment, how many beneficials you release, and whether there’s pesticide residue hanging around from last time. Some chemicals stay toxic to beneficials for up to four weeks after application. It’s a system, not a spray.
Beneficial insects ship as live organisms, so suppliers dispatch early in the week and some species carry state-based restrictions on where they can be sent. Delivery usually runs three to five business days. Order with a bit of lead time rather than in a panic, and check current stock and pricing on the supplier’s site before you commit, because both move around.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you actually buy beneficial insects in Australia?
Yes. Commercial insectaries breed and sell them to the public and to growers. Bugs for Bugs in Mundubbera, Queensland has been doing it since 1981 and supplies both small quantities for home gardeners and bulk volumes for commercial farms.
What kills spider mites without pesticides?
Phytoseiulus persimilis, a predatory mite that feeds on spider mites and their eggs. Adults eat up to 20 young or 7 adult mites a day. It’s highly specialised and can’t survive on pollen, so it works best released directly onto a known infestation rather than spread thinly as a preventative.
What’s the best natural aphid control?
It depends on the size of the problem. Green lacewings and native spotted ladybirds are general predators for hitting an established hotspot. Aphidius colemani wasps are the preventative option and are better at catching low-level infestations early. They can be used together on heavier outbreaks.
What is integrated pest management?
IPM is a system that uses cultural controls and beneficial insects to keep pest numbers down, with compatible pesticides used only as a last resort. It’s been standard practice in Australian horticulture for decades, and it’s how certified organic farms run without a spray program.
How much do beneficial insects cost?
Less than most people assume. A pack of 500 Aphidius colemani pupae is around $35, with bulk discounts on larger orders. Trichogramma comes on release sheets of 30,000 or 60,000 wasps. Prices vary by species and volume, so check the supplier’s current listing.
Do beneficial insects work outdoors as well as in a greenhouse?
Both. Some species are deployed in greenhouse and open-field production alike, though a protected environment generally gives better results because conditions are more stable and the beneficials are less likely to disperse.
Species availability and pricing checked mid-2026 and subject to change. More on cultivation over in FAB’s growing section.
Author: Entoza
I broke a lot of things before I turned thirty. Action sports will do that. Enough of it and you stop counting the individual injuries and start counting the surgeries. I have fusions, reconstructions, and enough metal in me to be a nuisance at an airport. What that adds up to is chronic pain, which is a boring, permanent, and unglamorous thing to live with. The options are not great. You can be sedated or you can be sore. I did both for a while. Cannabis is what got me functional. I am not going to make claims about what it does for anyone else, because I am not qualified to and the rules quite rightly do not allow it. But it is the reason I stopped treating this plant as a bit of fun and started paying attention to it properly. How I Ended Up Writing About It Once you are a patient, you get curious. You start reading the label. You want to know who grew it, in what, and why the same strain from two farms comes out completely different. Most of the answers were hard to find. The clinical material does not cover cultivation, and a...
