to find even one of them ! They must be fantastic escape artists cause, I released 300 of them ! I want to get more but, were do I find ladybug food to entice them to stay ? I already have housing for them ~ in different areas of my garden. I live in south Florida so they should last and lay eggs. So where do I buy ladybug food ? I think that they ate all they could and just found ways to get out .
2006-09-21 07:02:05 · 2 answers · asked by Jo Jo Gunn 6 in Home & Garden ➔ Other - Home & Garden
Ladybug Handling, Releasing & Keeping Them In Your Garden:
1. The best weather to release ladybugs is cloudy, cool, rainy weather - it makes them seek shelter rather than flying. Put them out nearly colonies of aphids or other food.
2. The best time to release ladybugs is just before dark, in the cool of the evening, or even at night. They won’t normally fly at night, and need a “settling down” period after being handled.
3. Spray the release area beforehand with water or (I prefer) a 10% sugar solution so they have something to drink. Maintain a high moisture level thereafter.
4. Gently shake ladybugs from the container, spreading them around so that they can find food immediately. Release them on or at the base of infested plants.
5. Piles of vegetation, stacks of boards or similar materials near dense vegetation are attractive to them as shelter on hot days.
6. In greenhouses, screen vents or periodically apply chalk around vents and doors so that ladybugs can’t escape (they can’t cling to vertical chalked surfaces).
7. In greenhouses, temperatures between 70° and 85° F are needed for reproduction. Temperatures above 100° F can be tolerated for short periods.
8. Ants will “guard” aphids and other soft-bodied honeydew producing insects (like leafhoppers and scales) and protect them from predators like ladybugs. If ants are a problem, you might have to use a sticky product like “Tanglefoot” to make a barrier to prevent the ants from getting to the aphids.
9. In order to get your ladybugs to stay as year round greenhouse guests, you should plant Umbellifera as a nectar and mating site for adults.
Keep ladybugs as one of your main pillars of pest defenses in the your farm and garden. Good luck!
2006-09-21 07:27:00 · answer #1 · answered by dlcarnall 4 · 2⤊ 0⤋
http://www.ladybug-fly-away-home.com/what-do-ladybugs-eat.html
2006-09-21 14:14:20 · answer #2 · answered by g-day mate 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋