Keep flower-eating pests away while not repelling butterflies and bumblebees?

[CJx]

Hello, I have no experience with gardening, flowers or anything of the sort. My family bought pentas, impatiens, and one other type of common flower that does well in low sunlight, to plant in a small strip in our back yard. We have planted zinnias in the past, and they get eaten up by bugs that we never actually see and subsequently have no idea what they are, and the same thing is already happening to our new flowers.

I've put a mixture of 1 gallon water/ 1 tbsp dish soap/ 1 tbsp canola oil to hopefully keep pests away atleast for a day or two until I can find a better solution, because from what I've read, dish soap mixes are on contact insecticide solutions.

We want to stop/deter whatever bug/bugs are eating the flowers, while not killing or deterring butterflies and bumble bees, and would like protection from the unwanted insects that lasts for preferably atleast a week at a time if possible.

I question the usage of conventional flower insecticides from producers like Bayer because while they do offer continual protection for up to two weeks per application, I'm not sure if they will kill or repel butterflies, and also I heard some of them are neonicotonicides, which apparently possibly kill bumblebees.

Is there a flower insect repellant/insecticide solution, either commercial or home-made, that will achieve our desired results? Or any other method or solution? Any advice or suggestions are greatly appreciated, and thanks in advance.

 

[Chuck]

Have you tried garlic spray in the late afternoon? If it is caterpillars use Bt

 

[Becky]

Welcome to the forum! Do you have any photos of the nibbled leaves?

 

[Corzhens]

That liquid dish washing soap mixture is effective for us. No, it doesn't kill the flying insects and it just repels because of the odor of the soap. I think your mixture of 1 tablespoon of liquid dishwashing soap to a gallon of water is just fine. But why add the canola oil? It might have deadened the odor of the soap. For best results, spray directly on the plants and also in the surrounding areas nearby.

 

[IcyBC]

I am guessing the canola oil will keep the slippery slide from the insects? Dish washing liquid and water sounds like a wonderful mixture to deter the insects. I love my butterflies, bees, and skippers and wouldn't use anything that harm them.

 

[ChanellG]

If you don't want to harm butterflies, then you don't want to spray. You'll just have to use a combination of deterrent companion plants such as "trap crops" like marigold or nasturtium and live with the fact that other insects you may not be able to control are going to eat your plants.