Ladybugs to the Rescue!

You may need a magnifying glass to see them but you won't need one to see their results.

Every time you enjoy the benefits of California Citrus whether for eating or the economic benefits of our citrus industry you are enjoying the benefits of Ladybugs. 

It is No exaggeration to say there probably would not be a California Citrus Industry were it not for Ladybugs.  Way back in the 1880's when the California Citrus Industry was just getting started, it was nearly wiped out by an insect pest accidentally imported from Australia. 

California Citrus trees were defenseless against this foreign invader and modern chemical treatments were non-existent.  Desperate growers decided to try a radical approach and introduced Ladybugs in a last ditch effort.  The results were dramatic -- the Ladybugs turned the tables on the foreign menace and in less than two years our citrus industry was well on the road to recovery.

If Ladybugs can do all that, just imagine what they can do in your garden!  here are some Ladybug facts you should know...

Ladybugs are like an automatic pest control that works day after day and never needs batteries. You just turn them loose in your yard and as long as there is work for them to do (insect pests to eat) they will stay in your yard. In fact, they will only leave when the job is done.

Each Ladybug is capable of consuming up to 50 to 60 aphids per day and will also eat a variety of other insects and larvae including scales, mealy bugs, leaf hoppers, mites, and various types of soft-bodied insects. They will feed on other pests, but are best known to eliminate the aphid population, and are one of the most active predators, searching from dawn to dusk for food.

Ladybugs are beneficial in all stages of their life cycle. Each female can lay 10-50 eggs daily. Ladybug larvae (pictured below) live for three weeks before pupating and eat up to 400 aphids at a rate of 50-60 aphids a day in later stages. After 2-5 days adults emerge and continue to feed. Each adult will consume over 5,000 aphids in their lifetime.

These beneficial insects are an important addition to the tool kit of every Valley gardener. Alden Lane Nursery can provide them in useful quantities and advise you on where and how to use them most effectively.
Alden Lane Nursery - 981 Alden Lane - Livermore, CA 94550 - (925) 447-0280 ph - (925) 443-8512 fax
Hours: Open 8:30 am - 6:00 pm Daily
Ladybug Larvae