Dear, dearest readers,
Tonight is a night for taking it easy, but I just couldn’t pass up sharing this incredible picture with you. Teeny, tiny, garden guardians, hatching in my tomatoes this afternoon.
Magic!
Edit – 3 July 2009: It has been brought to my attention that these are not, actually, baby ladybugs. They are, in fact, evil biting bugs that most likely intend to infiltrate my tomatoes. Ahh, well. They’re still adorable, ain’t they?
Don
1 July, 2009
Lady Bugs Rock, I always know my garden is doing well when the top predators arive, my personal favorite Pray Mantis.
hayley
1 July, 2009
i am so incredibly jealous. you have to tell me how you did this! i released at least 1k ladybugs about 2 weeks ago. i’ve also done so in the past. i’ve never had that kind of result… so jealous. CONGRATS. i have to see your garden. let’s compare field notes some time, for real.
Andrew
1 July, 2009
Nice shot. I just found your website yesterday and I’m loving the urban agriculture that you’re doing – I wish I could get away with a couple of chickens (and ducks) where I live!
Sayward
1 July, 2009
@ Don – I would love to find a mantis! They’re one of my favorite insects.
@ hayley – I also released 1000 bugs a few weeks ago. Maybe the eggs were in there? Or maybe they got busy once I let them free? Who knows, I can hardly take credit for it though! But yes, I’d love to compare notes sometime. =)
@ Andrew – Thanks, and welcome! I would love to have ducks as well, but they are quite the little stinkers, so I’ll have to wait till I have more space. ;)
Ginger Baker
1 July, 2009
We found at least 4 praying mantis pods when clearing out some stuff from the garden in APril :-)
Co
1 July, 2009
I loves me some lady beetles. Have you read any literature on what is effective per square meter? I just ask because lady beetles disperse like woah after they pupate.
Mantids might be a nice option, too. If you’re looking for another really great, voracious predator, check out brown or green lacewing larvae. They nail aphids and other pests like crazy.
Sayward
3 July, 2009
Ginger Baker – Jealous!!! Did you keep them and hatch them?
Co – Thanks for the heads up! I do have a lot to learn about beneficial insects and natural pest predators. Add it to the ever-growing list, haha!
7 Comments to A Ladybug Interlude . . .