Friday, April 12, 2013

Ladybugs

This old house of ours has cracks and crevices that are sufficient entry points in the fall for ladybugs seeking places for their winter hibernation.  Most of them end up dead on the floor or a windowsill, and the ones that survive are endlessly entertaining for the cats.





Some actually successfully hibernate.  They emerge from their hiding places when warm weather arrives (like it did on Wednesday) and we find them trying to figure out a way to get outside, usually crawling on or around the windows. 

 
 
 


The other day, I went around the house with a jar and gathered up all the ladybugs I saw ... and I took them out to the greenhouse to help rid the roses of their spring crop of aphids.  As I was putting each ladybug into the jar, I was promising them that I was taking them to a place where their children would always have enough to eat.

 
 
 
 
When I got to the greenhouse and opened the jar, the ladybugs quickly crawled to the rim and set off to find suitable places to set up housekeeping.
 
 
 
Caught an action shot of a ladybug taking flight in this photo!
 
 
There are plenty of aphids on the roses in the greenhouse to go around.  It's not the ladybugs themselves that are going to do the bulk of the eating, though.  The adult ladybugs mate and lay their eggs in locations with an ample food supply, and it's the larvae who are voracious little aphid eating machines.  (See what the larvae look like in THIS post from last year.)
 
 
 
I've done my part.  It's all up to the ladybugs now.
 
 

9 comments:

  1. We have the household ladybugs too, it's an old house thing, I believe. I happen to love the surprise of a ladybug here and there, in all seasons. :-) That aphid photo? good gawd. yuck.

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  2. Very good idea! In the south, I only see loads of ladybugs in the fall.

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  3. We had MANY ladybugs in our last house. They seemed to hibernate in our attic and then crawl down through the pot lights on the ceiling. Detested them. Have not had any in this house yet but time will tell I suppose.

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  4. Aw, I do love the ladybugs! Glad they and their babies help in the greenhouse!
    hugs,
    Linda

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  5. I LOVE ladybugs and always teach my classes about them so they know what the good bugs look like in the garden. One year I was lucky enough to discover what the larvae look like when there were a lot outside my front door. At first I thought they were "bad" bugs. We are still waiting for spring here. Had one morning with only 3 degrees on the way to school!♥♫

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  6. I haven't had them in the house but I have lots of ladybugs and larvae in the garden this year. I made sure to point them out to hubby so he wouldn't feel the need to kill something black and crawly.

    I found eggs on the underneath part of an rose arbor. Today they were tiny little clusters of black, wiggly creatures. Fascinating!

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  7. You are such a good "mom" finding homes for your little ladies! xo Diana

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  8. You're awesome to take the time to gather the ladybugs! Too bad they can't figure out how to winter over in the greenhouse. I know the major super-secret ladybug gathering locations on the west coast are in the mountains onf California among thick beds of pine needles where they survive the snowy cold winters. Maybe they'd do well in a bed of straw in the greenhouse.

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  9. They are such a sweet looking little bug, although I suppose having them invade your house isn't fun. You have given these few a great new place to live and raise their families.

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