Bbarb: I got impatient with the lack of ladybirds a couple of years ago and bought some (100?) ladybird larvae which I placed carefully on aphid infested paths. Within a day or so the ladybird larvae had all gone and the aphids were as bad as ever but a few days later the local ladybird population caught up and ate the aphids so I decided the larvae hadn't been worth the money.
Thats encouraging SGardener, I may try some when the weather takes up.
Interesting to see another member from Cumbria TyCerrig, I'm from the Kendal area - where do you live? Did you get the snow? We had a bit but it melted as soon as it arrived thank goodness. I don't think the swallows were impressed.
Bbarb: I got impatient with the lack of ladybirds a couple of years ago and bought some (100?) ladybird larvae which I placed carefully on aphid infested paths. Within a day or so the ladybird larvae had all gone and the aphids were as bad as ever but a few days later the local ladybird population caught up and ate the aphids so I decided the larvae hadn't been worth the money.
I would have liked to believe that but the larvae I bought were native ladybirds and the ones which appeared were all harlequins. To be honest, all the ladybirds I have here seem to be harlequins so I probably shouldn't have bought native ones and expected them to survive the competition!
Hope it works for you. Just be aware that things like starlings can get their heads through and reach food - and the seed feeder is quite near the side. As long as they can't reach the feeding ports, you'll hopefully be alright
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
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Bbarb: I got impatient with the lack of ladybirds a couple of years ago and bought some (100?) ladybird larvae which I placed carefully on aphid infested paths. Within a day or so the ladybird larvae had all gone and the aphids were as bad as ever but a few days later the local ladybird population caught up and ate the aphids so I decided the larvae hadn't been worth the money.
Thats encouraging SGardener, I may try some when the weather takes up.
Interesting to see another member from Cumbria TyCerrig, I'm from the Kendal area - where do you live? Did you get the snow? We had a bit but it melted as soon as it arrived thank goodness. I don't think the swallows were impressed.
You need the plants that will attract and sustain the ladybirds, like fennel & yarrow so they don't go else where.
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/garden-how-to/beneficial/attract-ladybugs.htm
Maybe the ladybirds were the larvae all grown up?
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
I would have liked to believe that but the larvae I bought were native ladybirds and the ones which appeared were all harlequins. To be honest, all the ladybirds I have here seem to be harlequins so I probably shouldn't have bought native ones and expected them to survive the competition!
Well done TyC!
Hope it works for you. Just be aware that things like starlings can get their heads through and reach food - and the seed feeder is quite near the side. As long as they can't reach the feeding ports, you'll hopefully be alright
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...