Ladybugs

[desertgirl]

Aphids are invading my SFG. I just gave it a thourough soaking and then dumped about a third of a small container of ladybugs I had bought today into the garden and closed the lid. I'm going to give it a couple of days and then check on them. I've tried ladybugs in the past, but they always fly away ( I think I heard somewhere that they try to find where they are from?). Anyway, we'll see how this works.

 

[Greenthumb18]

Aphids are invading my SFG. I just gave it a thourough soaking and then dumped about a third of a small container of ladybugs I had bought today into the garden and closed the lid. I'm going to give it a couple of days and then check on them. I've tried ladybugs in the past, but they always fly away ( I think I heard somewhere that they try to find where they are from?). Anyway, we'll see how this works.

I'm sure if those ladybugs are hungry they wont hessitate to eat, but then again if they fly away it wont be of any use unless they return. I would of just washed the aphids off with a hose, like you mentioned.

 

[desertgirl]

I did that. The problem with the SFG is that although the aphids have no problem getting in, it seems natural aphid predators can't get in.

We'll see if this works.

 

[big brown horse]

My ladybugs always ended up in my neighbor's yard!! Too bad you can't clip their wing like a chicken!!

I wonder if praying mantis' would work. They always stayed around my garden after they emerged from their cocoons.

 

[desertgirl]

Someone else suggested this today. If the ladies all fly the coop, I'll try the mantises (manti?:/) next.

Your right about wishing they were like chickens!

 

[desertgirl]

Just a update-the ladybugs worked like a charm!

I'll keep a close eye, and at the next first sign of the nasty little "buggers" lol, the ladies are going in. One thing I will do differently if there is a next time-I started by just adding a few at a time. Next time I won't even screw around with that-I'll dump them all in and let them get to work!

 

[Greenthumb18]

Just a update-the ladybugs worked like a charm!

I'll keep a close eye, and at the next first sign of the nasty little "buggers" lol, the ladies are going in. One thing I will do differently if there is a next time-I started by just adding a few at a time. Next time I won't even screw around with that-I'll dump them all in and let them get to work!

Thats great!!

I'm glad the ladybugs did their job, i bet their now full, from all those aphids....

 

[desertgirl]

I wouldn't know-the minute the last aphid got gobbled up they took off!!

 

[digitS']

One way to know that you should check for aphids is if you see ladybugs on your plants. And, the horrible-looking ladybug larva - we should all get to know what they look like so as not to freak out and spray them with anything. If a ladybug is cute, its baby looks like some kind of tiny dragon, or something !

Ladybug larva photo

DesertGirl, with the plants packed in tight - it is tuff to spray with a stream of water or with an insecticide. I use insecticidal soap to kill aphids - it works great but spray near sundown so that the plants don't suffer . You can also rinse them off with water the next morning.

One good thing about insecticidal soap is that it is not supposed to cause any harm to hard-bodied insects like the adult ladybeetles. One shouldn't spray their larvae, however.

Steve

 

[vfem]

Hey steve.... I gotta show you what my cone flower looks like today.

It looks like invasion of the tiny aligator bugs... and when I told hubby what they were, he got soooooooooo excited.

Going to take photos... its going to be fun to watch these little guys grow and get right of the aphids on my cone flowers already!!!!!!