Ladybugs are welcome guests in the garden. And not just because they remind you a bit of your own childhood. They are also the biggest enemies of aphids. How to successfully use ladybug larvae against lice.

In a nutshell

  • Ladybugs prey on aphids and other garden pests
  • a single ladybug eats about a hundred aphids a day
  • Females prefer to lay their eggs on heavily infested plants
  • Ladybug larvae eat about 500 aphids before pupating
  • Larvae are available in well-stocked specialist shops and online shops, and can be settled in your own garden at any time if required

Insert ladybug larvae

If there are only a few or no ladybugs in your own garden, then it makes sense to buy or order larvae. These are commercially available from specialized providers and can be helpful against pests:

  • set at least two larvae per branch
  • also use two larvae in an aphid colony
  • Females lay their eggs directly on aphids
  • put carefully with brush on leaves
  • or sprinkle onto leaves with carrier material
  • The packaging usually states the minimum number of larvae
  • immobile larvae are not necessarily dead
  • When there are linen rigid
  • Dolls are immovable overall

Notice: If there are already pupae in the jar of ladybug larvae you have bought, or if the larvae are rigid, then you should not move them, but leave them in the jar. Larvae that then move again can be removed, the pupae should be left in the box until they hatch.

Various ladybug species

In the local latitudes, two different types of aphids are particularly suitable:

Two-spot ladybug in the black variant (left), seven-spot ladybug (right)

Two-spot ladybird (Adalia bipunctata)

  • these larvae are commercially available
  • Targeted use, especially in greenhouses, is recommended
  • Adult Beetle do not hike here

Seven-spot ladybird (Coccinella septempunctata)

  • is most common in nature
  • Attract and leave

Notice: Ants also like the aphids, they milk them. A meeting of ants and ladybird larvae and also the adult beetles is not advisable. Therefore, you should install an ant barrier here.

Ladybugs settle

If ladybug larvae have been ordered and released into the garden, then it is essential to offer the adult beetles the right habitat afterwards. Because if this is not cheap, then the adult beetles will migrate and settle somewhere else:

  • Put ladybird larvae directly on infested plants
  • Find here enough food
  • Will be puffed here
  • hatched beetles also find food directly
  • Fennel pollen (Foeniculum vulgare)
  • or dill (Anethum graveolens) provide further nourishment
  • also chives (Allium schoenoprasum)
  • Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale)
  • Marigolds (Calendula officinalis)
  • Create a natural garden and winter shelter
Many plants, such as chives (left) or marigolds (right), offer food to ladybugs.

Tip: If you want the ladybugs to settle down and take action against the annoying pests, then you should definitely not actively fight the aphids with other means. Because insecticides or household remedies do not tolerate the beetles and they take off.

Winter

If you want to settle the ladybugs in the garden so that they can fight the aphids next year, you should also offer a suitable shelter for the winter:

  • Do not completely clean up
  • Leave cuttings of perennial plants
  • make small hills
  • wooden outlet
  • Bark scales or leaves are also suitable
  • the adult beetles hide here

Tip: If you can encourage ladybugs to hibernate in your garden, the aphids will not have a chance to spread next spring.

frequently asked Questions

Are all ladybug species red?

No, there are many different types, the most well-known being the red ones with seven or two dots. But there are also other basic colors such as orange or yellow. Here, too, the number of points varies, from one to 15 points, everything is included here.

Is the different number of spots on ladybugs an indication of age?

In the case of ladybugs, age cannot be determined from the spots on their backs. Because the points are there immediately after hatching, depending on the species. There are also species such as the native yellow sixteen-spotted ladybird (Tytthaspis sedecimpunctata), which does not feed on aphids but on the powdery mildew fungus. Therefore, when choosing the type of ladybug larvae, the desired area of application must also be considered.

If I don't use any additional insecticides, won't the lice take over?

If you leave a natural environment for the ladybugs, you don't have to be afraid that the pests will migrate from a beneficial meadow to cultivated plants and infest your fruit trees, for example. Because naturally, a balance between beneficial insects and pests quickly develops, in which the pests are always kept below a damage threshold.

The aphid infestation is so high that ladybugs alone cannot counteract this, what to do?

If you have a very large infestation, you can also use chemicals first before releasing the ladybug larvae. However, you must note that the insecticide must be completely dry. Otherwise, it should be noted that no chemical agents should be used while larvae are sitting with the aphid colonies and about three to five weeks after release.

Can I assume that all purchased larvae will continue to develop?

Unfortunately, it is unstoppable. Dead larvae can already be found in the can. Some things can also go wrong during the later pupation, so that they die and no ladybirds hatch. However, this is a completely natural process, since the females always lay more eggs than later actually develop into adult beetles.

Category:

Garden pests