Have any of you had any success with atracting ladybirds to your garden to combat greenfly, spidermite etc if so what flowers,plants did you grow. I got hold of a packet of wildflower seeds. Will this be enough to atrack ladybirds n bees etc. I also have some Nesturnums too I have a small backyard about 10 foot x 10 so space is a bit of a problem also they would have to be grown in containers. I'll be growing chilli's nd tomatoes this year and don't want them to be nobbled by pests.
I've heard that they can be attracted by the shape of a flower, like tulips and lilies, quite cup shaped flowers. And herbs.
nasturtiums are tasty in salads, but they'll attract blackfly by the trillion. on the other hand, that will provide plenty of food for the ladybirds. the wildflowers will also attract lacewings and hoverflies, they'll eat the black and greenfly too, and help pollinate your chillies and tomatoes. spraying with soapy water will also help clear the nasties. happy growing and eating.
Cool, I'll give it a go. Gonna se the seeds sometime today and fingers crossed it will attract the good bugs and eat all the bad ones
Do you mean ladybugs, I have never heard of a ladybird. If you mean ladybugs, you can order them online. I am not sure how to attract them though.
Yeah I've heard you can order them but after they've eaten they'l jsut go away won they ??? I need some flowers etc to keep them there. Even started to make a ladybird house out of bamboo canes
Yes you can order boxes of them, cant remember the price but you will get 10s of thousands of them for pretty cheap. Sure most of them will eat and run, but you can probably get a couple hundred or so to hang around if the accommodations are nice. Theres always enough mites around to support a good size bunch if your garden is outside.
For Ladybugs or Lady beetles check here: http://www.gardensalive.com/product.asp?pn=5065&ss=ladybugs From Wikipedia: "Ladybugs also require a source of pollen for food and are attracted to specific types of plants. The most popular ones any type of mustard plant, as well as other early blooming nectar and pollen sources, like buckwheat, cilantro, red or crimson clover, and legumes like vetches. Also, early aphid sources, like bronze fennel, dill, cilantro, caraway, angelica, tansy, yarrow, of the wild carrot family. Other plants that also attract ladybugs include coreopsis, cosmos (especially the white ones), dandelions, and scented geraniums." Peace, poor_old_dad
They must be much more expensive where your at, in the US you can get them much cheaper. But it looks like Old Dads got your answers on habitat and stuff. Good luck on your garden.
check this out http://www.greengardener.co.uk/product.asp?id_pc=22&cat=45&id_product=87 I was wrong bout the larve it was the lacewings that were £10 ish for 250 lol
I never realised they were so cute - I'll be getting some of those http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/43051000/jpg/_43051399_lacewing416.jpg
