Ladybugs Are Good For Your Garden

How to Attract Ladybugs to Your Garden

This may sound contradictory but having some aphids around will also insure that the ladybug population in your garden continues to grow. Keeping that in mind, don't use chemical insect killers. These pesticides kill randomly, obliterating not only the harmful bugs but the beneficial ones, such as ladybugs, as well. In addition to that, new ladybugs certainly won't hang around anyplace where there isn't a food source for them. No aphids, no ladybugs.

By planting several of their favorite umbrella-shaped floral herbs into, and around, your garden, you should start attracting ladybugs very quickly. Popular ladybug attracting plants include; angelica, caraway, cilantro, scented geraniums, tansy and yarrow. Ladybugs also favor dandelions but I wouldn't suggest planting those.

Once ladybugs become comfortable in your garden, they will lay their eggs there insuring you generations of ladybug benefits.

If you are still having problems attracting ladybugs to your garden, or if you have a huge aphid problem, you may buy live ladybugs and release them into your garden yourself. Although there is no guarantee that the ladybugs you buy will actually stay in your garden and not head off to your neighbor's house, there are a couple of things you can do to up the chances of them sticking around.

Never release your purchased ladybugs during the daytime. Ladybugs do not fly at night and will stay put until dawn, giving them some time to become comfortable in their new surroundings.

Generously water your garden before releasing your ladybugs. The moisture will keep them somewhat stuck to your plants for awhile.

Loosely drape some thin sheeting over heavily aphid-infested plants and release your store-bought ladybugs underneath as a way to better help them find their favorite food.

A Word of Caution About Buying Ladybugs

There are literally thousands of kinds of ladybugs all over the world. When purchasing, buy ladybugs that are native to your geography. Asian Ladybugs, though very effective, like to hibernate overwinter inside houses. They are completely harmless and won't eat anything at all during their hibernation period but most folks just don't take kindly to sharing their homes with any bugs, beneficial or otherwise. Native ladybugs tend to remain outdoors during hibernation.

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What Do Ladybugs Eat?

Ladybugs mostly eat aphids, tiny soft-bodied insects that feed on plants. Even though aphids are small, they can destroy a garden plant quickly once they take up residence. An adult ladybug can eat as many as 40 or 50 aphids a day during its life cycle so keeping these beneficial insects around is extremely helpful when it comes to pest control.

Ladybugs will also eat other small soft-bodied insects and pollen.

Purchasing Ladybug Food

You may also purchase artificial ladybug food, known as Wheast. Wheast is mostly used in commercial insecteries because it is cost effective. It is mixed with water, sugar or honey and then sprayed either directly onto plants, or onto sticks placed in the ground, in and around the garden.

Ladybugs are loved the world over. They are cute. They don't bite. They aren't poisonous to humans and their favorite food can actually save your garden's life. Read through the following list to learn more fun ladybug facts.

1. Not all ladybugs are ladies. Ladybugs can be both boys or girls. Whether they are male or female, they are still called ladybugs. Female ladybugs are usually a bit larger than male ladybugs.

2. Ladybugs can also be called ladybirds, lady beetles, and ladybird beetles. Their family name is Coccinellidae. Their class name is Insecta, or insect.

3. There are approximately 5000 different kinds of ladybugs living all over the world with 500 of those calling the United States their home.

4. Ladybugs are usually round and red with black spots but not all ladybugs have this color combination. Ladybug varieties come in many different colors including yellow, orange, predominantly black, gray, pink and brown!

5. Ladybugs have 6 jointed legs and two pair of wings. Their three main body parts are; the head, the thorax and the abdomen. They have highly sensitive antennae also.

6. Although most ladybugs are found in the wild, you can buy ladybugs to set free in your garden.

7. You can't tell a ladybug's age by it's spots. The ladybug's average life span is only one year. Different types of ladybug's have different types of spots but you'd need to look through a microscope to see the difference on some of the varieties.

8. Ladybugs go through 4 different stages in its life cycle. Those stages are; Egg, (7-21 days) Larva, (7-21 days) Pupa, (7-21 days) and Adult. (3-9 months)

9. Ladybug babies (larva) don't even look like ladybugs. They are not round but long and scaly and look almost like a teensy crocodile.

10. Ladybugs are called beneficial insects and are the most commonly used form of biological pest control because one adult ladybug can eat as many as 50 aphids (tiny soft bodied bugs that eat garden plants) a day!

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