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Category: Meadowing | Posted: Sat May 26, 2012 8:05 pm

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Well, last year's attempt (http://www.gardenstew.com/blog/e10426-3-aphids.html) at releasing ladybugs into my garden was unimpressive and largely ineffectual. I got busy and didn't try the soapy water trick, so that's still in my arsenal.

As previously noted, the "Bag-O-Ladybugs" departed within days...or did they?

Last year, every oxeye sunflower plant stem was covered with red aphids. This year, while I started with the same condition, it quickly evolved to this delightful scene:


Nature's Aphid Managment System (Ladybugs) ( photo / image / picture from jb19012's Garden )

Whether this new friend (and there are several others that I could find) was a hold-over or a passing migrant is unknown, but this little lady sure was great to see.

I recently read Doug Tallamy's book on native plant gardening. Great book, and a real testament to working with nature. The best thing I took away from the book, beside the fact that we HAVE to stop introducing invasives and non-native (if you don't know it, don't grow it), was that if you have no insect damage, then you probably don't have many native plants. As Doug notes so eloquently, there is an entire ecosystem built up around native plants and the insects, birds, animals, etc. (and WE are at the end of that chain) absolutely rely on them.

Good gardening, native gardening, to all.



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Frank wrote on Sun May 27, 2012 2:44 am:

Maybe they just needed a full year to get settled in JB :) Regardless glad there are some around this year to do some good work for you!

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AmaliaC wrote on Thu Jul 26, 2012 12:09 pm:

I was just holding yesterday when picking my late strawberries in the garden, the beautiful ladybug in my palm and amazed its soo beautiful and really perfectly spread colors!

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