Ladybugs, Ladybugs, Come to My Garden

Ladybugs, also called lady beetles or ladybirds, can be a gardener's best friend. The ladybug's bright coloring brings welcomed cheer to the garden, as well as helping with pest control. Since medieval times, ladybugs have been valued by farmers all over the world. Many believe that the ladybug was divinely sent to free crops of insect pests. In fact, that is how the ladybug got its name. People dedicated the bug to the Virgin Mary and therefore called it "The Bug of our Lady", which was eventually shortened to the present name "ladybug".

Adult ladybugs are usually oval or domed shaped and have red wings, yellow wings or shades and variations of these colors. The number of black spots can range from no spots to 15 spots and they are typically about one quarter inch in size or smaller.

The length of the life cycle of a ladybug varies depending upon temperature, humidity, and food supply. Usually the life cycle from egg to adult is about three to four weeks, and up to six weeks during the cooler spring months. During the spring the adult female ladybug can lay up to three hundred eggs in an aphid colony. The eggs normally hatch in two to five days. The newly hatched larvae feed on aphids for up to three weeks and then enter the pupae stage. About one week later, the adult ladybug emerges. There can be as many as six generations of ladybugs hatched in a year.

The ladybug enjoys popularity around the world. These pretty insects have long been considered a symbol of good luck and fortune because of their ability to eat an enormous amount of aphids. One ladybug can eat as many as 50 to 60 aphids per day. Aphids (also called plant lice) are herbivores and are one of the worst groups of pests on plants. They feed in colonies and damage plants by sucking the juice out of the leaves, stems, or roots. While aphids feed, they damage plant tissue creating a loss of plant fluids and the photosynthetic tissue needed to produce energy for plant growth. Some plants will show no adverse response to aphids, while others react with twisted, curled or swollen leaves or stems. Aphids also transmit many plant diseases from one plant to another.

Apart from aphids, ladybugs eat a variety of other insects and larvae including white flies, mealy bugs, spider mites, and other types of soft-bodied insects. They also require a source of pollen for food and for that reason are attracted to certain types of plants. Their preferred plants have umbrella shaped flowers such as dill, fennel, angelica, tansy, caraway, cilantro, yarrow, and wild carrot. Other plants that attract ladybugs include cosmos (especially the white ones), dandelions, coreopsis, and scented geraniums.

If your garden does not have adequate space to plant ladybug attracting plants, you can purchase ladybugs from numerous websites on the internet and most nurseries. Before releasing them into your garden, here are a few tips to help ensure that the ladybugs stay where you want them:

1. Release ladybugs near infested plants after sun down or before sun up. They navigate by the sun and are most likely to stay put in the evenings and early mornings.

2. Water the area where you are going to release the ladybugs. They will appreciate the drink and the moisture on the leaves will help the ladybugs to "stick" on the plants. If released in a dry garden, the ladybugs will most likely fly off in search of a drink instead of sticking around to eat.

3. In the warmer months, chill the ladybugs in the refrigerator before releasing them. This will not harm the ladybugs and they tend to crawl more in colder temperatures rather than fly away.

Another way to attract ladybugs to your garden is to place several ladybug habitation boxes around your garden. Fill the boxes with organic material such as peat or compost to encourage ladybugs to roost and lay eggs inside the box. In addition, the habitation box also provides protection for the ladybugs in the winter months.

To further promote ladybug populations, consider cutting back on spraying insecticides in your garden. Ladybugs are sensitive to most synthetic insecticides and if the majority of their food source is gone, they will not lay their eggs and therefore will not continue to populate.

Here are some interesting ladybug facts:

- There are nearly 5,000 different kinds of ladybugs worldwide and 400 which live in North America.

- A female ladybug will lay more than 1000 eggs in her lifetime.

- A ladybug beats its wings 85 times a second when it flies.

- A gallon jar will hold from 72,000 to 80,000 ladybugs.

- Ladybugs make a chemical that smells and tastes terrible so that birds and other predators won't eat them.

- The spots on a ladybug fade as the ladybug gets older.

- Ladybugs won't fly if the temperature is below 55 degrees Fahrenheit.

- The ladybug is the official state insect of Delaware, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Ohio, and Tennessee.

As you can see, the ladybug is one of the most effective and economically important insects to have in your garden. In some cultures, seeing ladybugs in gardens indicates a bountiful harvest, an indication of good weather or a good luck omen. Create an alluring environment for ladybugs and they are sure to provide charm and pest control in your garden for years to come.

Lesley Dietschy is a freelance writer and the creator/editor of The Home Decor Exchange and the Home & Garden Exchange. The Home Decor Exchange is a popular home and garden website featuring resources, articles, decorating pictures, free projects, and a shopping marketplace. The Home & Garden Exchange website is a link exchange program and directory dedicated to the home and garden industry, as well as offering free website content and promotional ideas. Please visit both websites for all of your home, garden, and website needs.

http://www.HomeDecorExchange.com

http://www.HomeGardenExchange.com

---

Google News Updated : Fri, 05 Sep 2008 14:05:39 GMT Partisan Reception Greets Palin as VP Pick - ABC News CTV.ca Partisan Reception Greets Palin as VP Pick ABC News - 2 hours ago Sarah Palin is receiving a highly partisan reception on the national political stage, with significant public doubts about her readiness to serve as president, yet majority approval of both her selection by John McCain and her willingness to join the ... Video: Joe Biden On Palin's Speech CBS Obama Camp Turns to Clinton to Counter Palin New York Times Boston Globe - AFP - Evening Bulletin - USA Today all 1,899 news articles Publ.Date : Fri, 05 Sep 2008 11:18:50 GMT State falling way behind No Child Left Behind - San Francisco Chronicle Modesto Bee State falling way behind No Child Left Behind San Francisco Chronicle - 6 hours ago California schools, required by the federal No Child Left Behind Act to lift more students over a higher academic hurdle this year, instead stumbled and slipped back, as nearly 1400 fewer schools met test-score targets. Only 48% of California high schools meet federal standards, even ... Los Angeles Times Middle schools lead county's API scores The Salinas Californian Visalia Times-Delta - Record-Searchlight - Modesto Bee - Register Pajaronian all 106 news articles Publ.Date : Fri, 05 Sep 2008 07:41:11 GMT Haiti doubles hurricane death toll; US extends storm watches and ... - International Herald Tribune Boston Globe Haiti doubles hurricane death toll; US extends storm watches and ... International Herald Tribune - 51 minutes ago AP WILMINGTON, North Carolina: Tropical storm watches and warnings in the United States were extended from Georgia to areas just south of New York City on Friday as states along the Atlantic braced for Tropical Storm Hanna, which killed at least 137 ... Southeast states brace for Tropical Storm Hanna The Associated Press Hanna heads to Carolinas; Ike not far behind CNN International guardian.co.uk - StarNewsOnline.com - Greenville News - New York Times all 2,807 news articles Publ.Date : Fri, 05 Sep 2008 13:14:26 GMT McCain honors NH soldier in convention speech - Boston Globe BBC News McCain honors NH soldier in convention speech Boston Globe - 1 hour ago ST. PAUL, Minn.—In his speech to the Republican National Convention, presidential candidate John McCain paid tribute to a New Hampshire soldier killed in Iraq. Video: "Change is coming," McCain tells convention - 05 Sept 2008 AlJazeeraEnglish US media mixed on McCain speech BBC News Marin Independent-Journal - Memphis Commercial Appeal - Today's TMJ4 - Detroit Free Press all 1,008 news articles Publ.Date : Fri, 05 Sep 2008 12:43:54 GMT Thai PM buys time with referendum plan - Reuters BBC News Thai PM buys time with referendum plan Reuters - 4 hours ago By Darren Schuettler BANGKOK (Reuters) - Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej has bought some time with a referendum aimed at defusing street protests, but it will do nothing to resolve Thailand's fundamental political conflict, analysts say. Video: Locking horns over politics in Thailand -- 05 September 2008 AlJazeeraEnglish ANALYSIS: Thai demonstration raises democracy issues Monsters and Critics.com AFP - Times Online - Aljazeera.net - Inter Press Service all 3,754 news articles Publ.Date : Fri, 05 Sep 2008 09:33:48 GMT Jobless rate soars to 6.1% - CNNMoney.com Macon Area Online Jobless rate soars to 6.1% CNNMoney.com - 59 minutes ago Unemployment surges to 5-year high as employers cut workers for eighth straight month, bringing '08 job losses to 605000. By Chris Isidore, CNNMoney. Unemployment Rate Hits 5-Year High As Economy Continues to Shed Jobs Wall Street Journal Unemployment Rate Rises to 6.1% New York Times TheStreet.com - Forex Pros - Reuters - RTT News all 36 news articles Publ.Date : Fri, 05 Sep 2008 13:05:45 GMT So What If Sarah Palin Used a Speechwriter? - FOXNews BBC News So What If Sarah Palin Used a Speechwriter? FOXNews - 1 hour ago By Betsy Newmark Disdaining Sarah Palin’s speech last night because she had a speechwriter is one of the lamest criticisms of her performance last night. Video: Inside the Tent: Reactions to Sarah Palin's speech Part 4 ReutersVideo Panel Reviews Palin, Previews McCain RealClearPolitics Baltimore Sun - Detroit Free Press - New York Times - Los Angeles Times all 4,224 news articles Publ.Date : Fri, 05 Sep 2008 13:03:46 GMT RSS For Web Pages Increase Traffic

PARLOT::Ebooks, Scripts, Websites, and more...

Adsense websites

Daphnes for Scent and Colour

Anyone with even a passing knowledge of plants knows that... Read More

Beauty After life - Plants For Drying - Grasses

Dried plants and dried flowers are midway for people who... Read More

Release Some Tension...Spend Some Time In Your Garden

Gardening can be one of the most rewarding and relaxing... Read More

Orchid Care - What The Root Tells Us

Orchid Care Part 4 Diseases of the RootsOur final part... Read More

How to Grow Bamboo

Bamboo is a mysterious and elusive plant that baffles taxonomists... Read More

Lawn Care Business Owners - Dont Buy Yourself A Job

Most businesses consist of the owner only or the owner... Read More

Here is Why You Should Use Gypsum in Gardening

Do you have clay or layer of hard subsoil problems... Read More

How To Plan A Garden Right

Gardening is a hobby that brings joy, entertainment, and a... Read More

Hot Feeding Tips

Summer is the most enjoyable water gardening season and the... Read More

A Little Known Secret to Successful Outdoor Gardening

Pruning...Outdoor gardening is so much easier when you know how.... Read More

The Sundial - Garden Ornament or Exotic Timepiece?

Most of us regard a sundial as an attractive ornament... Read More

Growing Tomatoes Organically

Tomato Seeds Vs. Tomato Seedlings?Whether you start your own tomato... Read More

Easter Lilies, and the Number One Gardening Question Right Now

Everybody asks about Easter lilies! Can they go outside; can... Read More

Rock Gardens - A Different Kind of Garden

Planting a Rock Garden is a great alternative to the... Read More

Fertilizers - What you Need to Feed Your Lawn

Just like humans need food, water and shelter to survive,... Read More

Introduction to Aquaponics

Hydroponics and aquaponics are very similar in every way except... Read More

Fake Grass

The history of artificial or fake grass is to say... Read More

Rosemary: The Herb of Remembrance and Friendship

Rosmarinus officinalis, commonly called rosemary is an aromatic herb indigenous... Read More

Seeding Flowers Indoors: An Inexpensive Way to a Beautiful Summer Garden

Every year you plan that THIS will be the year... Read More

How to Grow Blueberries

Along with lip-smacking sweetness, flower and foliage are also worthy... Read More

Garden Statuary - Time for a Fresh New Look

Spring is coming, and now is the time to get... Read More

How to Create a Zen Garden

When you hear the term "Zen Garden" the picture conjured... Read More

Colorado Blue Spruce And Lush Red Roses

Set in a broad expanse of lush green lawn a... Read More

The Container Vegetable Garden

If you live in an apartment or town home, you... Read More

About Window Ledge Gardening

The growing of flowering or foliage plants on window ledges... Read More