Some people know them as ladybugs. Some refer to them as lady beetles or ladybird beetles. Chances are, you’ve likely let one crawl over your hand or fingers before its little wings open up and take flight, or you’ve watched one scamper along a blade of grass. But did you know these shiny, red-and-black insects are an asset to your garden?
The voracious little ladybug benefits gardens, flowerbeds, and even field crops. This is why people often try to attract them to their garden or introduce one of the two species found in North America—Hippodamia convergens is native, and Harmonia axyridis is an introduced species.
Why Are They Good for Your Garden?
Most ladybird beetle species are considered beneficial insects to humans because they eat herbivorous insects in natural ecosystems and managed settings. They play a significant role in protecting crops and other non-edible plants from being ravaged by insects. Ladybugs also move pollen. So, when they’re in your garden, they’ll eat the nasty bugs and help pollinate flowers.
In turn, this natural method of pest control will reduce the chemical pesticides you need to apply to your plants.
What Do Ladybugs Eat?
Insect Pests
First and foremost, ladybugs prefer to eat other insects. Their favorites are some of the tiny, destructive pests we work so hard at keeping out of our garden and flowerbeds, like aphids scale, mealybugs, leafhoppers, and spider mites. A single ladybug can eat fifty aphids daily and up to 5,000 insects in its lifetime.
Pollen and Nectar
Beyond a menu of nuisance insects, ladybugs supplement their diet with nourishment from flowers. They get carbohydrates from nectar and use pollen as an essential protein source. The red and black beauties favor shallow flowers that are easy to reach into and ones with flat petals that provide a stable platform to stand upon.
Some of their favorite flowers are:
- Alyssum
- Butterfly weed
- Calendula
- Dandelions
- Dill
- Geraniums
- Marigolds
- Mint
- Parsley
- Yarrow
How to Attract Ladybugs to Your Garden
If your yard and garden have plenty of food for ladybugs—both insects and flowers—but you still aren’t seeing many in the garden, there are a few ways you can attract them. The following ideas will also help keep them in your garden, keeping aphids and spider mites under control.
- Plant decoy plants. One of the most effective ways to attract ladybugs is to make sure they have aphids to eat. While most people don’t want to purposefully draw pests that damage plants into their garden, you can plant sacrificial species like nasturtium. It will attract aphids and draw in ladybugs too.
- Build a ladybug house. Ladybugs don’t need fancy accommodations but appreciate someplace safe and secure. Build a simple structure by nailing some planks of wood together, leaving an opening or small spaces where they can get in and out. Put some sticks in the house and add some sugary food and water.
- Add a water source. Other than a food source, ladybugs also need water to survive. Create a water source by setting a plant saucer on the ground filled with marbles or stones, and then keep a little water in it. Or you can place damp paper towels in the garden or spray your plant foliage so they can drink the dew.
Are Ladybugs Harmful?
While ladybugs are beneficial, they have a secret side that isn’t so nice. First, they will bite if provoked, but their small size means they are rarely forceful enough to break the skin. They aren’t known to carry any parasites or diseases, but some people experience a minor allergic reaction and develop a small, red bump at the site.
However, they contain a mildly toxic compound that can be dangerous to other insects, birds, and small lizards if ingested. This compound is a defense mechanism, but they use their bright, contrasting colors to signal to predators that they are dangerous and should stay away.
How to Release Purchased Ladybugs
If your garden is suffering from an insect infestation, and you don’t want to wait for ladybugs to show up, you can buy and release some yourself. The problem, though, is they tend to fly away before they eat aphids and have a chance to lay eggs. Therefore, it’s helpful to know a few tips and tricks when releasing them.
- Chill your ladybugs in the fridge for a few hours after bringing them home. The cool temperature doesn’t kill them, but it will slow them down, making them less likely to fly away immediately.
- Never release them during the middle of the day when it’s hot and sunny. Always wait until dusk to turn them loose since they don’t typically fly after the sun sets for the evening.
- Before releasing them, spray your garden with water to give the ladybugs some water to drink. They will want to rehydrate after being in a container.
- Release them on an aphid-infected plant or a plant they use for food.
