A Welcome Visitor

Just in case you haven't come across one of these little guys before let me explain what it is...

This peculiar little thing is a ladybird larvae and is every gardener's best friend. Each one is only about 1cm long but they have a huge appetite for greenfly, whitefly and a whole host of other garden nasties. In terms of their appetite to eat aphids, ladybirds and their offspring are only just beaten into second place by hoverflies who should be another welcome guest to any gardener. You can buy ladybird larvae to release into your garden or greenhouse but the best way to attract them is to make you garden a wildlife haven so that as many ladybirds take up residence there as possible. We've got hundreds of them all over the plot, so much so that I often spend more time moving them to safety than weeding when I'm supposed to be tidying up!

Ladybird adults like to take nectar or pollen from Alliums, dill and yarrow, which are the same plants that hoverfly and lacewings adore. The other good way to encourage them into your garden is to make sure there is plenty of tempting food for them. If you grow plants that are laden with aphids like nettles and honeysuckles you will soon create a healthy community of ladybirds who will keep on top of aphids all over your plot. It is also good to provide a home for ladybirds and lacewings in the winter. They are happy to hibernate in conifers, evergreen hedges and dense herbs but it is possible to make nest boxes from hollow stems for them as well. Just make sure you leave the stems in a nice dry place. Ladybirds will also make a home for themselves inside garden canes in the autumn so, if you haven't tidied them away by autumn, it's best to leave them until the following spring so that these amazing little creatures who have taken up residence don't get disturbed.

Comments

[Liz]

Thanks for the comments everyone.

Kevin, I didn't buy any ladybirds to put on my plot. The best way to attract them is keep off the chemicals and try and leave as many havens for them to shelter in safely as you can. If you do that they should hopefully flock to your plot for free like they did on mine!

[Kevin]

Good Blog will certainly come back again.

This year I decided to go natural as far as I possibly can so when I discovered that aphids had taken over my roses I decided to buy some ladybirds to defeat the little creatures.

Have carried out some research I began to think about buying larvae instead. My reasoning been that when the larvae eventually turn into ladybirds they may be more inclined to stay. I've read a lot about people buying ladybirds and them clearing off. Is my reasoning sound.

Any additional tips welcomed, especially about helping the ladybird to breed

[Lil Ned]

For years we endured (but complained about) 'aphid rain' from three large weeping birch trees near our deck, where we slept outside in summer. Being resolved to stay organic (but also being supremely lazy), I resisted the advice to spray with some killer death chemicals, and eventually noticed that if I just stalled long enough (ie a month or so), the ladybug (American term) larvae would eventually win out, and the sticky coating on everything went away. Yay, nature's balance comes to those who are patient!

[Jo]

It's amazing how these young ladybirds change into the adult versions. I've planted a wildlife border in my garden this year in the hope that it will attract lots of beneficial insects into the garden.

[Valeri]

I'm really glad to know that and will look out for them. Val

[Joshua]

I thought that is what those were.
Thanks for the positive id.
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