Ladybugs, also known as ladybugs, are excellent for pest control, because their main food source is aphids.
A gardener always has a lot to worry about. They have to deal with weather conditions, such as rain, sunlight, and temperature fluctuations, as well as wild animals like rabbits, moles, or even deer who might try to use their garden as an all-you-can-eat buffet. eat.
However, one of the toughest battles’ gardeners have to face comes in the smallest form: insects.
When pests enter your garden, they can destroy everything in their path before you even have a chance to stop them. It’s no wonder, then, that the most dedicated gardeners work very hard to prevent insects from infiltrating their gardens.
However, there are some insects that are very beneficial for your garden. One of these creatures is the humble Catarina.
Why are ladybugs beneficial?
Ladybugs, also known as ladybugs, are excellent for pest control, because their main food source is aphids.
If you are a gardener, chances are you are familiar with aphids, the small soft-bodied insect that feeds on the sap of the plant. In particular, they like to feed on flower and fruit buds, which can deform this part of the plant and ruin it. Even a few aphids can destroy an entire plant.
While adult ladybugs consume these nasty little pests, it is actually their larvae that most effectively control the pests. Ladybug larvae are insatiable feeders and consume massive amounts of aphids every day.
The problem, however, is that since they look nothing like their adult form, many gardeners mistake them for pests and try to get rid of them. Ladybug larvae are very small and have a scaly, almost crocodile appearance. Although they lack visual appeal, they are the ones you want to have in your garden.
However, that doesn’t mean you don’t need adult ladybugs in your garden either. The more adult ladybugs you have, the more larvae there will be. Considering that a female catrina produces around a thousand eggs each season, you’ll want to lure them into your garden to start building a massive army to fight pests.
Ladybugs also eat other insects, such as mealybugs, spider mites, and the eggs and larvae of several larger insect pests, such as beetles.
Not all ladybugs are the same
While you might get the idea that all ladybugs are the same, there are actually many different species of them. There are some types, for example, that are herbivorous, so they feed on crops such as corn, spinach, and soybeans. These, of course, are not what you want in your garden.
Asian species, such as Harmonia axiids, tend to be the most aggressive predators, however, they also enjoy the heat and are more likely to try to enter your home than other species.
Of course, you may not be able to know what kind of ladybug you have in your garden, but this information could be beneficial if you decide to buy ladybugs (more on that later).
How to attract ladybugs to your garden?
If you want to attract ladybugs to settle among your plants, you must make your garden an attractive home for them. This means avoiding the use of chemical sprays, such as insecticides and herbicides, even if they are organic.
While ladybugs are generally unaffected by chemical sprays, they don’t particularly like them either. If you currently use sprays in your garden, you will need to stop spraying for about five to six weeks before you can see any ladybugs return.
One sure way to attract more of these insects to your garden is to attract more aphids at the same time. While it may seem counterintuitive trying to attract more aphids to your garden when your goal is to get rid of them, ladybugs will follow their food source.
Roses, nasturtium, and marigolds are plants prone to aphids, and planting cabbage, lettuce, radish, tomatoes, and potatoes will attract them to your garden.
Ladybugs don’t just eat aphids and other softshell insects. They also enjoy the nectar and pollen of plants, especially when they are growing. There are many plants that will attract ladybugs, and they include:
- Angelica
- Calendula
- Caraway
- Chives
- Cilantro
- Cosmos
- Dill
- Fennel
- Feverfew
- Jalapa marabilis
- Sweet allyssum
- Yarrow
Buying ladybugs
If you are still having trouble attracting ladybugs to your garden, you have the option of purchasing them. It’s inexpensive and can be a useful way to speed things up a bit.
The ladybugs you buy are always collected from nature. Once you bring them home, you should immediately sprinkle some water on the bags and put them in the refrigerator. This will prevent them from becoming dehydrated and will slow them down if they have become agitated during the trip.
Ladybugs can be stored in the refrigerator for up to three months. Some of them will die, but most of them will quickly recover once they are brought into the garden. You should only release a few thousand ladybugs in your garden at a time. If you do it all at once, and they don’t stick around, then you’ve lost your entire population.
Your garden should be well watered when you introduce ladybugs, and it is best done in the late afternoon, when darkness and cool temperatures will prevent them from flying away.
It is very important that your garden has become insect friendly before you release the ladybugs, otherwise they will fly somewhere more attractive to them.
Some gardeners use different techniques to keep their ladybugs from flying away, such as spraying them with a solution of equal parts soda and water. The sugar that clings to their outer wings will temporarily disable their flight, which can keep them there long enough to lay at least one batch of eggs.
This practice does not harm them, and the solution will disappear in a week or two.
The beneficial insect
Insects often get a bad rap in gardens, but there are some that can make your plants very good. As always, when you’re considering trying a new technique in your garden, be sure to head over to your local garden store and consult with the experts.
They will have specific knowledge of the area you live in and will be able to guide you somewhere where you can get your ladybugs if that is the route you have chosen to take.
