GardenBanter.co.uk - View Single Post

phorbin · 17-05-2008, 04:22 AM posted to rec.gardens.edible

In article , says...

"Omelet" wrote in message
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In article ,
The Cook wrote:

On Fri, 16 May 2008 06:36:15 -0700 (PDT), Sam
wrote:

I would like some ladybugs for my SMALL garden. 9foot by 5 foot. I
have ants, so I assume aphids. Where is the best place online to by a
small qty of them.

Any tips for keeping them around?

Careful. I don't know the whole story, but someone brought in
ladybugs into this area a few years ago. Now they are everywhere and
do like to come in when the weather cools.

But I'll bet you have few garden pests! g They eat aphids, scale,
mealy bug and other things. Another good predator are lacewing larvae.
I got rid of a persistant scale infection on the succulents in my
greehouse using those...

I remember my ex-husband releasing them in our large vegetable garden years
ago. At least 90% were gone the next day. A few days later we didn't find
any. Same thing with praying mantis he bought. We never ordered any more
beneficials.

You have to have adequate numbers of prey around to keep any predator
happy.

No prey equals no predators.

A neighbour of ours bought a package of ladybugs once.

They all flew across the street to a less kempt lot.

The only predators I bring home are the ones I find in weird locales,
like the preying mantis I found clinging to a bank downtown.