Previously, we looked at the insects you will want to welcome to your garden, which you can read about here

However, there are some less desirable critters that you may want to ensure you don't have in your garden, as Blaupunkt Tools explains here...

Vine weevil

Enjoying a diet of plant roots and leaves, vine weevils have a lifespan of five to 12 months. Adults eat the leaves of plants, and their grubs can cause significant root damage. You can discourage them by hanging bird feeders to attract birds to your garden.

Aphid

A diet of sap from plants ensures aphids can stunt plant growth if they become out of control. With a lifespan of one month, you can discourage them by welcoming their natural predators, such as the ladybird or lacewing to your garden.

Red spider mites

These can permanently damage the plants they eat, despite only having a lifespan of two to four weeks. Discourage them by spraying plants with a hosepipe, just enough to dislodge the mites from the leaves.

Slugs

Slugs will leave large holes on the plant leaves they feast on. They have an average lifespan of 18 months, but can be deterred by laying natural traps, such as a jar on its side with a little cornmeal - this will kill them when they eat it.

Caterpillar

Caterpillars feast on a diet of plants such as nettles. Their larval stage can last for weeks or months before the chrysalis stage. They're certain to eat your plants, but they do have the benefit of turning into butterflies. If you're keen to deter caterpillars from your garden, place cardboard around the base of your plants.

Backswimmer

Eating aquatic insects, and with a lifespan of six to nine months, backswimmers prey on tadpoles and can even be found in swimming pools, where they have been known to bite people. Discourage them from your outdoor water sources by getting rid of their foods by regularly cleaning and removing the algae.

Wasp

Wasps like a diet of fruit, nectar and other insects. They have a lifespan of 12-22 days. While they have the advantage of eating other pests, most people would be keen to avoid having too many in their garden. If they are buzzing around when you eat, get rid of them by chopping up a cucumber and leaving slices around – wasps avoid the acid in them.

Earwig

Fruits, flowers and small insects are the diet of choice for earwigs. With an average life of one to three years, they’re detrimental as they leave holes and bitemarks on a range of plants and flowers. You can discourage them by welcoming natural predators such as birds into your garden.

Information courtesy of Blaupunkt Tools