No ladybugs ?

Question

Has anyone else noticed that there are no ladybugs this year? I live in Ohio and normally,there are tons of them,but I've only seen one this year and it was dead.Has anyone else noticed an absence or decline in the ladybug population in your area?

Someone ~ That's one of my favorite books,and I have a wildlife - friendly yard! I use NO pesticides in my yard and neither do my neighbors! I have trees,bushes and flowers all over the place,and the absence of ladybugs really bothers me!

Pretty1 ~ Yes,we have plenty of crickets and grasshoppers;katydids and butterflies.I know that honeybees are disappearing,I hope the ladybugs aren't following suit.

Answer 1

Tammy,
I'm in Ohio too and now that you mention it I haven't seen a single one. I have seen more butterflies than usual so I don't think it's a pesticide problem. I think it might have something to do with the cold winter we had in OH. Extended freezing temps can kill off eggs and larvae of insects--this applies to beneficial insects as well as pests. If it's the cold their population should rebound next summer (unless we have another cold winter).
So I would say not to worry about them until we see what happens in the summer of '08.

Answer 2

I haven't seen the decline of ladybugs because I live in the city, but you should check if any pesticides/ DDTs were sprayed near your area. Pesticides and DDTs, although not intended to kill certain types of organisms such as birds, fish, and ladybugs in your case, will accumulate in their bodies and will eventually be fatal.

For more information, you should read the book, Silent Spring by Rachel Carson- it's a good book, at least what i thought. =]

Answer 3

I live in Wisconsin near a field and we usually have a lot of them. Not this year though. We have a lot of crickets though.

Answer 4

May be all of them are on dating spree with malebugs in some other part of the land !!