any success with beneficial bugs?

[WilburMartin]

I am considering spending about $50 on a mix of beneficial bugs from Planet Natural 0 here is the mix:

• 2000 Ladybugs
• 1,000 Lacewing Eggs
• 1 Square Trichogramma
• 2,000 Fly Parasites
• 3 Praying Mantis Egg Cases

Has anyone here had success in introducing beneficial bugs to their growing area?

[kayrobbins]

I have not done those but I did order Assassin Bug eggs last year. I had planted all the plants recommended to attract beneficial insects but did not have assassin bugs. I was pleased with the results. I made sure I had a good place for them overwinter and was happy that I had them return to my garden this year.

[berryman]

I have all of those in my garden the most important thing IMO is to remember that insecticides kill them too and if you spray or dust your efforts and expense will be wasted.
Kay is right too, give them a good place to live.

[clkeiper]

I buy ladybugs to control aphids in my greenhouse so I don't have to spray and as soon as the ends are open and the side is up out they escape to the garden. I do think they are far more beneficial than we think they are. the mantis though will eat everything... good and bad. order them and get them released.

[Isabelle]

I guess nematodes aren't insects, but we've had some success controlling ants with them.

[mdvpc]

Ladybugs are hard to keep around-they have a mind of their own-they have helped me if I had an aphid problem, they seem to come from nowhere to take care of them. Praying Mantis will eat your beneficials. I always ordered green lacewings if I didn't see any, any they were very helpful. The other two I never used.

[My Foot Smells]

Originally Posted by mdvpc

Ladybugs are hard to keep around-they have a mind of their own-they have helped me if I had an aphid problem, they seem to come from nowhere to take care of them.

Concur. I bought some a few years back, but they will only populate a certain area and the excess with go somewhere else? ladybugs are frequent here and do keep balance, but to my recollection, there will only be as many as needed. More is not better, as mdvpc states, they likely will not stick around.

Can't comment on the other insects, never introduced; but have several that are in the garden that arrived by thier own volition. Sounds like alot of mantis, how many eggs come in a "case?"

My philosophy is if you lay off the juice, nature will find harmony on it's own. After all, it's been doing that for longer than man has roamed the earth. They say the meek will inherit the earth, but more than likely the insects will - maybe sooner than later.

[clkeiper]

I also have found (just through observation.. no scientific data here) that certain species of ladybugs only eat specific varieties of aphids... have you ever seen ladybugs eating black aphids? I have them everywhere and no ladybugs on those plants (weeds by the way) and corn seems to attract the little pink oval ladybugs... What do you see/observe? same/different? I have only seen one lace wing so far this year though.

We also need to plant beneficial plants to support the beneficial bugs. do that for them. You can also buy a blend of seeds specifically for beneficial bugs. Do not mow that down come Fall. find a place and keep the "nursery" for the insects away from sprays and mowers.

[gorbelly]

Originally Posted by clkeiper

I do think [ladybugs] are far more beneficial than we think they are.

I've noticed ladybug pupae on my plants over this past week. I also noticed a huge uptick in flea beetles, which had hardly been a problem at all until this past week. I'm wondering whether this/these particular species of ladybug that are pupating have been helping to control them, and the beetles are thriving during a lull in their numbers?

Of course, it could just be timing of flea beetle reproduction and nothing to do with the ladybugs. But my understanding is that they're most damaging in spring, and they haven't been a problem for me until just now.