What Insects Eat Dandelions?

Beetles

• Among the many beetles that feed on dandelions, either in the adult or larval stage, are the blister beetles, family Meloidae. This is a large group that includes at least 300 species in the U.S. Because many blister beetles have a varied diet that includes garden plants, and because they are highly toxic, they tend to be classed as pests and not creatures you’d want to encourage in a garden. If a pet eats one, the results could be fatal. If you own rabbits or guinea pigs, always check dandelion leaves carefully before feeding them to your pets.

Butterflies and Moths

• Dandelion flowers attract butterflies and day-flying moths -- the flowers aren’t much use as a nectar source for nocturnal moths since the flowers close at night. The leaves are also an important food source for many species’ caterpillars. These include some striking moths, such as the giant leopard moth and the Doris tiger moth. If you are creating a butterfly garden, you may want to leave at least some dandelions where they are or even encourage them.

Grasshoppers

• Although older dandelion leaves have a bitter taste, they are not especially toxic to most insects. This means that those with an unselective diet, such as grasshoppers and crickets, often find the leaves make a perfectly acceptable meal. Among the grasshoppers that feed on dandelions is the widely distributed differential grasshopper (Melanoplus differentialis), a species found throughout most of the U.S. and Mexico.

Others

• Aphids, thrips and whiteflies also feed on dandelions. These smaller insects may slightly weaken the plant but don’t constitute a major problem unless present in huge numbers. Hosing the dandelions with a powerful jet of water or using a dishwashing liquid and water spray is often sufficient to kill the majority of the insects and control an infestation. Dandelions may also attract some of these little insects’ predators, notably lacewings.