Last Sunday, I was feeling a little stir crazy so I hopped over the our local nursery. I was about to leave when I spotted their display of ladybugs. Now, I’ve seen insects sold at big box stores and it’s always a tragic affair. The poor bugs are stuffed in envelopes and are in the sun all day. But these were in a temperature controlled environment and you could tell they were a canister of bustling healthy ladybugs I grabbed one of my way out and made plans to release them that evening.
Ladybugs or Coccinellids are a great defense against garden pests like aphids. In fact, in their brief lifetime of one year they can eat up to 5000 aphids. One thing there is no shortage of in my garden is aphids.
If you wish to release ladybugs yourself I would do the following.
1. Release ladybugs after it’s been raining or water your garden well. Ladybugs will be thirsty after being released.
2. Release ladybugs in the evening or early morning hours they will more likely stay in the vicinity.
3. Don’t dump the entire package onto one plant. Instead sprinkle about a tablespoon on infested plants throughout the garden.
4. Watch them chomp away at pests like aphids, white flies and other pests.
Additional Links:
- Where to Buy: Planet Natural
- Read Between The Limes fun post about ladybug hunting.
- Mr. Brown Thumb’s Video of a Ladybug feasting on aphids.
Leave a Reply