Ladybugs require a proper home to benefit your garden.Ladybugs are one of the most well-known beneficial insects. Gardeners seeking organic pest-control may think just dumping bugs in their grow room or greenhouse will be enough.
The larvae or pupae stage insects are the ones who will eat the most pests, but produce stores, and online retailers sell adult bugs. Releasing them into your garden might yield some results, but you will mostly have a lot of dead ladybugs in your garden eventually.
Instead, the best option is to create a home for the mature ladybugs to colonize. Soon they will begin to reproduce, creating hungry, young bugs who will happily devour your pests.
This guide will teach you how to make your grow room into a proper home.
Note: Be sure to wait a month after your last application of pesticide before introducing ladybugs to your garden. Organic treatments using soap or essential oils are fine (neem oil can make them sick though).
Tools:
Cloning container or similar vented box
Sponge (new and clean, make sure it has no added soaps or cleaners)
Reverse Osmosis water
Raisins (or similar simple food–don’t use acidic foods like citrus)
Tub of ladybugs (you can buy them on online or at your local garden store)
Instructions:
Remove the tray from the cloning box
Wet sponge with RO water and place in a corner
Add a small handful of raisins (about 10 or 15)
Carefully open package of ladybugs in the box (you may leave it in if you wish)
Place lid carefully onto bottom of clone box and make sure vents are open to allow ladybugs to come and go. If they seem to have trouble getting in or out, you might want to remove the airflow vents from the grow box lid.
Keep the ladybug colony out of direct light, and be sure to replenish food and water regularly
Note: Be sure to inspect your plants for ladybug carcasses regularly. Dead bugs can get stuck in young buds, and the flower will grow around them. While it’s not particularly bad, no one likes finding dead bugs in their buds.
