I need Ladybugs

clkeiper · April 13, 2015

Have you bought ladybugs off the internet or ordered them somewhere? I just need a reliable/reputable source. I want to try them in my greenhouse this year for aphids and I am already seeing them on the pansies in an awful number already

. I already sprayed the peppers with insecticidal soap. I hate to see them get worse and I want to stay away from any insecticides if I can. Thanks

Cole_Robbie · April 13, 2015

Green Lacewings might work, too:
http://www.wormsway.com/en/GLW700

Tracydr · April 13, 2015

I always plant a bunch of radishes and let them flower. Nastituriums,too. Make great aphid traps when it gets too warm and beneficial attractors,too.
Artichoke is another good trap,as are cowpeas in the summer.
For now, did you try Arbico? I think some Whole Foods carry them,too.

kurt · April 13, 2015

http://www.hirts.com/s?defaultSearch...&Action=submit

Great pollinators also,they will try to escape if there is no food(buy nectar also).Release them in increments.Release them around the infestations,they will forge and lay eggs at infestation site.Babys look like mini alligators.They come in a mesh bag,cut the corner release some and have a paper clamp handy,once they smell a opening they will come pouring out.Turn bag upside down when releasing to stop the rush.They can be put in fridge to sleep inbetween releases.Call Hirts up they specialize in greenhouses.I buy a bag a year to keep my yard populated with them.

SueCT · April 13, 2015

I have a few in the house now, you are welcome to, lol. I keep gently putting them back into the potted plants until it is nice enough to release them into the garden.

Worth1 · April 13, 2015

Many good nurseries sell ladybugs eggs.
Worth

clkeiper · April 13, 2015

Thanks. I have plenty of aphids to keep them happy. I keep collecting the lady bugs from in the house and the little lean to house and taking them to the pansy baskets. I saw the hirts site and I just wanted anybody's recommendations. So thanks, I appreciate it, Kurt. I went and looked them up again and here they are only a 20 minute drive from me. I hope I can just pick them up.
Tracydr , I need them for the greenhouse, a trap crop isn't going to work for my needs. every Spring there is a fine crop of aphids going on in the peppers and on the petunias and the pansies. Arg!

clkeiper · April 14, 2015

I got an email back from them that I can pick them up in their store. I am so delighted. Thanks Kurt. As soon as I pulled them up my husband recognized their name. I thought he was confusing them with someone else's company, but I guess not.

kurt · April 14, 2015

Like I said before I buy a least 1-2 packs per year.I have mangoe,lychee, gardenias,purple bleeding heart vines,bouganvilla vines that I disperse them in.Trick is to leave some decaying mulches here and there for them to "over summer"and in your case "over winter".In my extreme summer heat (no flowering/nectar source) they go deep and dormant.So far they have populated over the years to at least 5 neighbors all around me as I am told and seen.I have heard that you can actually "breed" them.Good Luck.

clkeiper · April 14, 2015

I got my lady bugs. They had just gotten a shipment in and she said they had only been there an hour. BEAUTIFUL!

clkeiper · April 19, 2015

My pansies are looking fabulous now. I am so delighted at the results of just dumping SOME of the lady bugs in them. I used a whole bottle of insecticidal soap concentrate and couldn't get ahead of the little boogers! Today as I inspected some of the flats I found very few aphids on the leaves. Just a few on the very bottom leaves. It is a lousy forcast for the next several days, I will go dump the rest in the big greenhouse for any other ones taking up residence there. then go buy more as I need them. I wish they had the lace wings, I would get them, too.

Worth1 · April 19, 2015

Quote:

Originally Posted by clkeiper

My pansies are looking fabulous now. I am so delighted at the results of just dumping SOME of the lady bugs in them. I used a whole bottle of insecticidal soap concentrate and couldn't get ahead of the little boogers! Today as I inspected some of the flats I found very few aphids on the leaves. Just a few on the very bottom leaves. It is a lousy forcast for the next several days, I will go dump the rest in the big greenhouse for any other ones taking up residence there. then go buy more as I need them. I wish they had the lace wings, I would get them, too.

Great news.

I had to rescue a green lacewing last night.
The little devil came to bed with me and I had to put it outside.

Worth

clkeiper · April 19, 2015

Worth, that puts a new spin on the meaning of bedbugs, huh? No, really. good for you that you managed to rescue it and not accidentally kill it by rolling on the poor little thing.

kurt · April 19, 2015

[QUOTE=clkeiper;466046]My pansies are looking fabulous now. I am so delighted at the results of just dumping SOME of the lady bugs in them. I used a whole bottle of insecticidal soap concentrate and couldn't get ahead of the little boogers! Today as I inspected some of the flats I found very few aphids on the leaves. Just a few on the very bottom leaves. It is a lousy forcast for the next several days, I will go dump the rest in the big greenhouse for any other ones taking up residence there. then go buy more as I need them. I wish they had the lace wings, I would get them, too.[/QUO

http://www.arbico-organics.com/categ...ficial-insects

April 13, 2015	#1
clkeiper Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: ohio Posts: 4,350	I need Ladybugs Have you bought ladybugs off the internet or ordered them somewhere? I just need a reliable/reputable source. I want to try them in my greenhouse this year for aphids and I am already seeing them on the pansies in an awful number already. I already sprayed the peppers with insecticidal soap. I hate to see them get worse and I want to stay away from any insecticides if I can. Thanks __________________ carolyn k

April 13, 2015	#4
kurt Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: Homestead,Everglades City Fl. Posts: 2,503	http://www.hirts.com/s?defaultSearch...&Action=submit Great pollinators also,they will try to escape if there is no food(buy nectar also).Release them in increments.Release them around the infestations,they will forge and lay eggs at infestation site.Babys look like mini alligators.They come in a mesh bag,cut the corner release some and have a paper clamp handy,once they smell a opening they will come pouring out.Turn bag upside down when releasing to stop the rush.They can be put in fridge to sleep inbetween releases.Call Hirts up they specialize in greenhouses.I buy a bag a year to keep my yard populated with them. __________________ KURT

April 13, 2015	#7
clkeiper Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: ohio Posts: 4,350	Thanks. I have plenty of aphids to keep them happy. I keep collecting the lady bugs from in the house and the little lean to house and taking them to the pansy baskets. I saw the hirts site and I just wanted anybody's recommendations. So thanks, I appreciate it, Kurt. I went and looked them up again and here they are only a 20 minute drive from me. I hope I can just pick them up. Tracydr , I need them for the greenhouse, a trap crop isn't going to work for my needs. every Spring there is a fine crop of aphids going on in the peppers and on the petunias and the pansies. Arg! __________________ carolyn k

April 14, 2015	#8
clkeiper Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: ohio Posts: 4,350	I got an email back from them that I can pick them up in their store. I am so delighted. Thanks Kurt. As soon as I pulled them up my husband recognized their name. I thought he was confusing them with someone else's company, but I guess not. __________________ carolyn k

April 14, 2015	#9
kurt Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: Homestead,Everglades City Fl. Posts: 2,503	Like I said before I buy a least 1-2 packs per year.I have mangoe,lychee, gardenias,purple bleeding heart vines,bouganvilla vines that I disperse them in.Trick is to leave some decaying mulches here and there for them to "over summer"and in your case "over winter".In my extreme summer heat (no flowering/nectar source) they go deep and dormant.So far they have populated over the years to at least 5 neighbors all around me as I am told and seen.I have heard that you can actually "breed" them.Good Luck. __________________ KURT

April 13, 2015	#2
Cole_Robbie Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: Illinois, zone 6 Posts: 8,407	Green Lacewings might work, too: http://www.wormsway.com/en/GLW700

April 13, 2015	#3
Tracydr Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2011 Location: Laurinburg, North Carolina, zone 7 Posts: 3,207	I always plant a bunch of radishes and let them flower. Nastituriums,too. Make great aphid traps when it gets too warm and beneficial attractors,too. Artichoke is another good trap,as are cowpeas in the summer. For now, did you try Arbico? I think some Whole Foods carry them,too.

April 13, 2015	#5
SueCT Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: Connecticut Posts: 1,460	I have a few in the house now, you are welcome to, lol. I keep gently putting them back into the potted plants until it is nice enough to release them into the garden.

April 13, 2015	#6
Worth1 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Den of Drunken Fools Posts: 38,539	Many good nurseries sell ladybugs eggs. Worth

April 19, 2015	#11
clkeiper Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: ohio Posts: 4,350	My pansies are looking fabulous now. I am so delighted at the results of just dumping SOME of the lady bugs in them. I used a whole bottle of insecticidal soap concentrate and couldn't get ahead of the little boogers! Today as I inspected some of the flats I found very few aphids on the leaves. Just a few on the very bottom leaves. It is a lousy forcast for the next several days, I will go dump the rest in the big greenhouse for any other ones taking up residence there. then go buy more as I need them. I wish they had the lace wings, I would get them, too. __________________ carolyn k

April 19, 2015	#14
kurt Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: Homestead,Everglades City Fl. Posts: 2,503	These are my go to guys for beneficials. [QUOTE=clkeiper;466046]My pansies are looking fabulous now. I am so delighted at the results of just dumping SOME of the lady bugs in them. I used a whole bottle of insecticidal soap concentrate and couldn't get ahead of the little boogers! Today as I inspected some of the flats I found very few aphids on the leaves. Just a few on the very bottom leaves. It is a lousy forcast for the next several days, I will go dump the rest in the big greenhouse for any other ones taking up residence there. then go buy more as I need them. I wish they had the lace wings, I would get them, too.[/QUO http://www.arbico-organics.com/categ...ficial-insects __________________ KURT