Anyone bought ladybirds?

Posts

• Singing Gardener Posts: 1,237

  May 2019

  I did this last year - bought 100 ladybird larvae. A day later I couldn't see any sign of any of them and the aphids were as bad as ever. I find the local ladybirds catch up in the end you just need to grit your teeth and be patient.

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• Jellyfire Posts: 1,139

  May 2019

  Personally I'd be very sceptical of buying insect that could either fly away, or provide a tasty treat for local predators the second you release them. Nature is pretty good at working out a balance if it's allowed to. If there are lots of aphids and no ladybirds then its most likely because the environment isn't right for them. 
  
  Lots of places for them to overwinter is one of the big incentives for them to stay and give you a head start in the spring. Lots of nooks and crannies, not cutting down seedheads etc. Obviously it goes without saying, chemical pest sprays are a big no-no.
  
  Washing off the aphids will get rid of them in the short term, but then you wont have any ladybird food, so then you wont attract any, and you'll be in the same situation next year. A few sacrificial plants this year to help for next year is a good idea imo.
  
  We used to be plagued by aphids when we moved here, lupins and roses were particular favourites, but I think its probably 4 or 5 years since there have been enough to affect a plant before the ladybirds have sorted them out. 

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• Jess is in the Garden Posts: 1,022

  May 2019

  I used ladybird larvae (local varieties, no harlequins) when I was plagued by aphids years back - worked a treat, only order about 50 and once hatched they stuck around and the new adults laid more eggs, so cycle went on. They kept everything in check. Haven't used insecticides in years.

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• Lesley114 Posts: 2

  May 2019

  So mixed success then. I need to learn to be patient in the garden I think and accept the aphids and buy feeders to attract more birds to the garden and ladybird houses. Hopefully nature will balance everything in the next year or two. Thanks for your responses 

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• Guernsey Donkey2 Posts: 6,713

  May 2019

  For the first time this year I have ignored the black and greenfly and let nature take it's course, in previous years I would spray the aphids with water from the hose or squish them with my fingers, both worked very well and did no harm to the surrounding plants.

  Now that I am leaving nature to sort out the aphid problem I am seeing blue and great tits eating them or taking them back to their nests for their chicks to enjoy, also wrens are snacking on the aphids too.  We all want more birds and insects in our gardens - so give them the food they enjoy the most.

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• matt_fender Posts: 169

  May 2019

  Guernsey Donkey2 said:

  For the first time this year I have ignored the black and greenfly and let nature take it's course
  

  I tried that approach with my damson tree this year (also the RHS online advice says the same), but unfortunately the aphids just about killed it - no fruit set and barely a leaf now, although just a hint of new growth in the last few days. I guess there is always a balance to be struck, but I have been out with hose since, at least for my fruit trees.

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• Hampshire_Hog Posts: 1,089

  May 2019

  I had loads of green fly on the roses at the allotment a few weeks ago but the ladybirds moved in and they are now clear, although I took the tops out of my broad beans I noticed they still have a lot of black fly but happy to say counted fifteen ladybirds on them yesterday and loads of larvae not seen any birds but sure they do come when I'm not around. 🐗

  
  "You don't stop gardening because you get old, you get old because you stop gardening." - The Hampshire Hog

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