Beneficial Bug Series: The importance of ladybugs and how to invite them to stay in your garden

Did you know you can purchase ladybugs at the nursery? These small beetles are incredibly beneficial for your plants and ecosystems. Here's why you should welcome them with open arms into your garden, and tips on how to invite them to stay:

1. Natural Pest Control: Ladybugs are predators of aphids, scale insects, and other pests that can wreak havoc on your plants. A single ladybug can consume up to 50-60 aphids per day and as many as 5,000 in its lifetime! While it might seem counterproductive, leaving aphids and other pests alone can help with attracting ladybugs. Some gardeners use “decoy plants” that will attract and provide aphids while you keep your desired plants bug free (until the ladybugs do it for you)! If you’re looking for decoy plants, nasturtium is a favorite of aphids.

2. Ecological Balance: Introducing ladybugs into your garden promotes a natural balance of insects. Instead of resorting to chemical interventions or pesticides that can harm beneficial insects and disrupt the ecosystem, ladybugs offer a sustainable and environmentally friendly solution to pest management.

3. Easy to Attract: Encouraging ladybugs to take up residence in your garden is relatively simple. Planting diverse flowers and herbs such as dill, fennel, marigolds, sunflowers, and yarrow can attract them. Additionally, avoiding broad-spectrum insecticides and providing sheltered areas with dense foliage or rock piles can create inviting habitats. If you are releasing ladybugs into your garden, right after dusk or right before dawn is the perfect time. It may also help to place your ladybugs in the fridge for at least six to eight hours before releasing to slow them down and keep them from immediately flying away. 

4. Pollination Assistance: While ladybugs are primarily known as predators, they also play a small role in pollination. Their feeding habits and movement between plants can inadvertently help in spreading pollen, contributing to the overall health of your garden.

5. Educational:  Beyond their practical benefits, ladybugs can be fascinating and enjoyable for both children and adults to observe and learn from. Some gardeners have observed that releasing ladybugs onto the gently misted leaves of a plant creates a more inviting environment for these new garden guardians. Take a look at the image below to remember what ladybug larvae look like, so you don't mistake these guardians for pests!

A photo of a ladybug larva asking to not be killed because they are saving your garden.

Inviting ladybugs into your garden fosters a healthy and resilient ecosystem. By supporting natural pest control and ecological balance, these small beetles contribute significantly to the success and sustainability of your gardening efforts. When attracting or releasing ladybugs, just remember that the easier they can find food and water, the easier it will be for them to decide to stay. If you are having a hard time attracting them, we also carry ladybug lures in the Garden Center. Next time you see a ladybug, now you know that they’re more than just a cute polka dot bug—they’re a valuable ally for your garden's health!

SOURCES:

Ladybugs. Buglogical Control Systems. https://www.buglogical.com/ladybugs/   

Ladybugs: Nature’s Tiny Garden Guardians. Live to Plant Small in Urban Spaces. https://livetoplantgreen.wordpress.com/2023/08/17/ladybugs-natures-tiny-garden-guardians/ 

Tips To Attract Ladybugs To Your Garden. Gardening Know How.
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/garden-how-to/beneficial/attract-ladybugs.htm 

15 of the Best Flowers to Plant in Your Garden to Attract Ladybugs. Gardenary.
https://www.gardenary.com/blog/x-of-the-best-flowers-to-plant-in-your-garden-to-attract-ladybugs