Ladybugs as pest control (not for CPs obviously :))... any experiences?

[moonflower]

I know a lot of you guys are into bugs as well as bug-eating plants (ironically! ) sooooo....

My poor little container garden is starting to get a nasty aphid infestation so I'm considering ordering a package of ladybugs to help control them. I heard somewhere that a little dish soap in water would take care of the pests in the short term, which is what I did for now, but I really don't care for soapy tomatoes and cucumbers come harvest time. Has anybody tried using ladybugs for aphid control before? Success or tips? I'd like to avoid nuking everything with pesticides if possible... I'm not a crazily pro-organic person but minimizing pesticide use never hurt anyone

 

[jimscott]

I understand your concern for the ues of pesticides and respect it. How does one keep the ladybugs from wandering off?

 

[rattler]

i know the greenhouse i worked at used them all the time to knock back aphid infestations they say it worked really well

 

[DerbyCityNeps]

i would think that would only work in an enclosed environment...like a greenhouse.
Alex

 

[rattler]

i doubt that.................the ladybugs should stay where the food is........the greenhouse i worked in was rather large but could successfully use the ladybugs to control aphids on a group of plants only taking up a few square feet.

 

[nepenthes_ak]

Rattler hit it right in between the eyes. Why leave till you HAVE to leave the food source?

 

[BigCarnivourKid]

The problem with lady bugs is that in large numbers they tend to completely wipe out their food source and then they have to move on in search of more food. The trick is to get enough lady bugs to knock down the infestation with out completely eliminating it so that some of the lady bugs will stick around and keep the aphids under control.

 

[Not a Number]

They sell containers of lady bugs and praying mantis egg cases at the OSHs and Armstrongs in Southern California. I don't recall seeing them at Home Depot or Lowes but I never looked for them there. They're rather prominently displayed at OSH and Armstrongs.

 

[xvart]

If they took care of the problem, who cares if they leave?! lol. And I can't imagine that ladybugs are that expensive, so why not go buy a few more if the problem comes back!

xvart.

 

[BigCarnivourKid]

... so why not go buy a few more if the problem comes back!

xvart.

It's your money. I'd rather but a few more CP's with mine.

 

[CPsinSC]

I've heard the 'Garden Safe' brand is actually used in organic gardening, so you might feel better about using it. I don't use it, but I know some people on this forum do.

 

[Ant]

My mom has a black aphid promblem to on one of her tree/bush thing in the backyard. At the tips of some braches you can't even see the bark there are so many. Why not use the larvea, they would stick around longer and still eat aphids at that stage.

 

[neon-eon]

I just bought some ladybugs, becasue the aphids pretty much uglified every single one of my outdoor CP's for the summer ...Lady bugs work way better than pesticide,or so I've heard. A single lady bug can eat about 50 aphids in one day, so imagine what a thousand can do... Rattler's right, the lady bugs will stay in the general area, as long as there is food for them. I just released some in my backyard a couple days ago, and they're already defending my VFT's...also they lay eggs, so they should last quite a while. I would buy them as soon as possible, before it's too late... I learned about aphids the hard way...but next spring, I'll be ready!