oldschoolvdub
Cool Member
Posts: 77
Joined: Fri Apr 03, 2009 11:46 am
Location: Santa Maria, CA

Lady Bugs... Are they available for purchase?

When I was a kid, my dad had a garden going, and we would go to the local nursery or hardware store, and they would always sell lady bugs in a little mesh box. He always bought them saying that they would eat all the pests. I never seem to see this anymore, and am not sure if this actually works. If it does, does anyone know where to find them now?

Aaron

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rainbowgardener
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Posts: 25279
Joined: Sun Feb 15, 2009 6:04 pm
Location: TN/GA 7b

I've never seen the mesh boxes but you can order lady bug beetles on line, either the adults or the larvae. They are efficient predators of aphids and other garden pests.

JONA878
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Location: SUSSEX

I reckon over this side of the pond we have a better name for these little beauties....we call them Ladybirds.
The kids have a nursery rhyme that begins
Ladybird, Ladybird fly away home
Your house is on fire, your children alone.........

Ring any bells over there?

Jona.

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rainbowgardener
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Location: TN/GA 7b

YUP! I grew up calling them lady birds and with the exact same little nursery rhyme except we used to say "your house is on fire, your children will burn" Gruesome now that I look at it, but a lot of children's culture is.
I grew up in California... interesting how the children's culture is so much the same when the grown up culture is very different.

mygardenau
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Posts: 6
Joined: Sun Sep 13, 2009 4:23 am
Location: Australia

Huh, fancy having a market for ladybirds. We have them free in my garden. They are such a loved little bug eh :D
[img]https://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e170/mysnakesau/My%20Garden/P1020739.jpg[/img]

plantkiller
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Posts: 27
Joined: Fri Sep 18, 2009 10:08 pm
Location: Brevard County, FL

I saw some for just a few dollars at a local ace hardware, almost bought them.

Does anyone know if the fact I have been spraying neem oil every weekend will deter the ladybugs? I'm thinking they may "hunt" elsewhere.

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SP8
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Joined: Sat Jul 18, 2009 11:29 pm
Location: Nagoya: Japan

I've always known them as Lady-Beetles..... But yeah they're great!



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