Ladybugs & Aphids: How are they of ecological and economic importance?

Question

Can anyone find any info of the ecological/economic importance of ladybugs?

And also the damage that aphids cause .. THANKS!! <3

Answer 1

Aphids are major agricultural pests. The feed off the sap of plants and reduce their vigor, they can even cause plants to be stunted. On top of that they don't process the sap very well and they excrete what is known as honeydew, a sweet liquid. This liquid can lead to fungal growths which can harm / kill the plant. As well in many cases there is an ant/aphid association where the ants basically treat the aphids as cattle and harvest the honeydew, in exchange for the honeydew the ants protect the aphids from predators and can move them to better feeding spots. Now for the ladybirds (that's the correct name) both adults and larvae are voracious predators of aphids. This has led to their use as a form of biological control of aphids. Simply purchase X amount of ladybirds and release in the field. They offer good control of aphids without the use of pesticides. However if there is an ant/aphid association it's a problem as any aphid under the guard of the ants is safe...

Answer 2

ecological maybe but not economic. the aphids actually eat smaller insects or something. and they look cute.