Ladybug Picnic

One, two, three
Four, five, six
Seven, eight, nine
Ten, eleven, twelve
Ladybugs
Came to the ladybugs' picnic

Folks from Gen-x will probably be able to hear this song in their head. Also, the Pinball number counting sound which is not relevant here...

Image of a ladybug, or lady beetle, on an Eriogonum leaf in Oakland, CA

I love ladybugs, as I think most people do. They are so round and brightly colored and clearly love having picnics., what’s not to like?

Did you know they are also beneficial insects for your garden?

You may sometimes in the spring see garden centers selling little tubs of ladybugs. I admit to having purchased these in the past. I DO NOT recommend you buy these poor things, though. They are wild harvested and can carry parasites.

Anyway, what usually happens? They are long gone by the end of the day. You can do things to keep them there. For instance, release them in the morning and make sure you have wet down your entire garden. Also, a a ton of aphids for them to eat.

If you do have an aphid problem you can ask around your neighborhood to see if anyone has some you can abduct. Really, you want them to stick around and lay eggs because the larvae eat more aphids than the adults do.

What do ladybug larvae look like?!

Cute spiky red and black ladybug larvae.

How to attract ladybugs to my garden?

Ladybugs like to crawl around on flat topped flowers like Achillea (yarrow) and Calendula. They do eat nectar and pollen. Make sure you have water for them and shade. Mostly, they want aphids! I tend to have tons of aphids on my vegetable garden. So, odds are if you leave that kale plant too long it will soon be covered in aphids.