Does anyone know if you can actually raise ladybugs? I figure you must be able to if you can get them from mail order (THEY would be raising them, right?). I bought a few batches last year to get rid of aphids but more of them died than lived and now I'm having aphid issues in my greenhouse where I'm overwintering many plants. They're not bad and I've been able to keep them at bay but I have a feeling I'll have a definite need for ladybugs this year. I can't find any info on raising or encouraging them - only places where you can order them or the larvae. Anyone have any info? AND I'm soooooooooooooo ready for spring!!! =)
Raising ladybugs
I wish I could help you, but I know nothing about raising lady bugs.
To control the aphids put 1 tablespoon of dishwashing liquid soap in quart spray bottle and fill with water. Spray them very well. It kills them dead.
Josephine.
Greenie, are you wanting them to live in the gh?
From what I've read, they are often collected while they are in diapause or hibernation. When they are released in the spring, they must burn off the fat and the only way to do this is by flying. That's why they leave your yard. I'm not sure why they died in your gh, did they have enough food? If prey is not abundant they won't lay their eggs.
How are you keeping the aphids at bay?
No, I didn't want to keep them in my greenhouse and that is not where they died. I purchased them twice over last summer because I had aphids eating up my whirling butterfly gaura and it had stopped blooming. They had been kept refrigerated by the place I bought them so they were pretty dormant. Once they got to moving around, I realized a lot of them were dead. =( But they ate enough of the aphids that the plant started blooming again. I guess I'll order them from a reputable place this year and hope they stick around enough to lay eggs and such. Maybe I'll get more back this year than I'm anticipating.
Right now since it's so cold, the aphids aren't really doing much damage, even in the greenhouse. They're pretty slow moving so I hadn't done anything yet. My MIL has commercial spray on her place but I want to stay away from chemicals (she has enough chemicals for plants to set off an atomic BOMB - we're built a little differently that way). I'll try Josephine's suggestion. If all it takes is a little dishsoap, that's awesome. I used molasses and grits to get rid of fireants in the greenhouse...worked like a charm!!
COME ON, SPRING!!! =)
I've had limited success getting rid of fire ants, tell me about the molasses that you use...please, those nasty things are already out here. They are more of a harbinger of spring to me than a robin....unfortunately, much rather it be a robin. lol
I don't see too many ladybugs in my yard, I think it's because I try to take care of the aphids before I have a big crop of them. I use the ole flick and dunk method with Josephine's dish soap method or squish with my gloves. I can see with a gh the aphids could get out of hand, especially with no predator bugs in there.
I dilute some molasses in water and water my container plants to keep the fire ants from building in them (they LOVE to do that - especially my bouganvillea). Ants HATE molasses even though they love sweet stuff. Then I put the instant grits on the greenhouse floor because they love to build under the mesh. They eat the grits and it swells in their bellies and they explode. They also bring the grits back to their queen. Even if it doesn't kill them, the ants at least move. I just can't water where I put the grits or they expand and my plot is foiled. If there was anything redeeming about them at ALL, I'd be a little more sympathetic. But I have scars on my feet and ankles from last year that aren't going away and they are a royal pain!!
They have no redeeming value in my book. Do you spread the molasses on your yard?
No, I haven't gone that far. I just wanted them out of my plants so I diluted about a half bottle in about 2 quarts water and watered my plants with them. But I can't imagine why it wouldn't work in your yard. Mine is just way too big to do that though it might be tempting come about April!
Thanks Greenie. There was a thread a while back about it, I'll have to go find it.
I ordered LadyBugs from Gardens Alive two years ago and most of the first batch seemed to be dead. The rest immediately took off and left our garden and yard.
The next week I received a call from them surveying their order and service experience, so I explained what happened. Two days later I received a fresh batch - much better. We have seen some returning ever since.
Bill
Great, thanks Bill!
I bought a bag of granualar molasses that I plan on putting out this year. Tomorrow is proably the day we do it... I have to put that out and put corn meal gluten on the grass, cut all the dead wood and get the yard looking like something...
does corn meal gluten have the same effect as the instant grits?
no corn meal gluten is for stopping weeds