Home Garden
Viswalingham Thavalingham
Posts: 4
Trying to find out how to introduce Ladybirds in my Garden.
0
Viswalingham Thavalingham
Posts: 4
Viswalingham Thavalingham
Posts: 4
Viswalingham Thavalingham
Posts: 4
Viswalingham Thavalingham
Posts: 4
Trying to find out how to introduce Ladybirds in my Garden.
Posts
Hi Viswalingham
I've found that by not using any insecticide in my garden since we moved here four years ago, the number of ladybirds has increased.
We also encourage birds into the garden, and the bluetits and their fledgelings hoover up the aphids
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
I think I could count on one hand the number of ladybirds I've seen this summer.
I've seen one teeny one that I rescued from my Conservatory.
Wonky Womble's town centre garden had been more or less neglected for years before she started work on it this year - I've never seen as many ladybird larvae in my life as she had on her big rambling rose that covers her large garden shed - literally every leaf had at least one on it - to me it indicates that providing the right plants and not using insecticides really works.
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
Not necessarily! I haven't used insecticides in over 30 years and have lots of insect friendly plants. This year there are bees and have been butterflies (though not many at the moment), but I haven't seen any ladybirds. Also the summer 'buzz' that you usually hear as soon as you step outside on a sunny day has been muted. We have had some warm weather (for here!) following a fairly mild winter, but alternating warm/ cold and dry/wet seems to have disrupted the normal progress of things, and the amount of wind has also knocked the temperatures.
Having agreed with your comments I have to add that a couple of weeks ago I was pruning back (quite drastically) a black willow in my garden. I left the branches on the ground to dry off before shredding and when in the process of shredding suddenly noticed that many of the curled up leaves had ladybird pupae by the dozen on them.. Me being me I carefully picked off as many leaves as contained these delights and put them all somewhere safe to finish turning into ladybirds. Since then the weather has deteriorated, so I am just hoping they will all hatch out and start their life cycle all over again. Also had very few dragonflies this year, albeit found a number of husks, but have a nasty suspicion that the numerous sparrows (not uncommon in this area!!) are catching and eating them before they have a chance to get fully mobile. Have witnessed this after watching a hatching and then as the beautiful thing dried out and took to the wing a bloody sparrow swooped down and got it!!!@%$£"
I too have only found 2 ladybirds this year, very sad as there r are plenty of aphids around here (buckinghamshire ). Have not seen any larvae at all. Have any of you ever introduced them into you're garden, was it successful? Just as recently as 3 years ago dwe had plenty (albeit european ones!) And had to clear out the car as a hundred or so had taken up winter residence in the door seals. Now not even one sizing up the car!