Ladybugs aren’t just pretty to watch in your yard – they’re also meat eaters, which means they like to feast on plant-damaging insects.
In fact, as soon as ladybirds hatch, they begin to eat. But they don’t just devour aphids — they also like to munch on fruit flies, thrips and mites, to name a few.
So how do you attract ladybugs to your yard?
How to attract lady bugs to your yard
Plants that attract ladybugs
The number one way to attract ladybugs to your yard is to grow the right plants. Ladybugs love herbs like coriander, fennel and dill.
Some ladybugs also like to feed on nectar, so planting flowers that ladybugs love, like cosmos, calendulas, and marigolds, can provide food and shelter for the little bugs.
They’re also very thirsty, so ensure they have access to plenty of water in your garden.
Install a ladybug hotel
Give ladybugs a place to call home in your garden! You are giving your garden a natural boost by providing habitat or bug hotels. Build a simple house with compartments from timber and mount it on a post or fence. Materials such as bamboo sticks and cored bricks to attract the insects and give them places to nest over winter To attract ladybugs, fill your bug hotel with twigs and leaves.
Where to buy ladybugs
If all else fails, you can purchase ladybugs and release them straight into your garden.. Visit Bugs for Bugs.
When releasing ladybugs in your garden, it’s recommended that you place them in the fridge for a few hours to slow them down. This is so they don’t fly out of your garden as soon as you release them.
Make sure there’s a water source (spray the plant leaves or leave shallow saucers of water) and plenty of bugs, like an aphid-infested plant, for them to feast on. You want your ladybugs to think your garden is the bees-knees. The best time to Release lady beetles is at dusk or early evening.
Don’t use insecticides
Step away from the insecticides and chemicals if you want to attract ladybugs to your garden. Even low-toxic and environmentally friendly ones will harm your ladybugs.
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How to detect and treat black beetle in your lawn
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