This sweet little insect that children love to play with is actually a fierce warrior in the garden. Russians call it “Bozhya korovka” which translates to “God’s little cow”. It’s actually a beetle that voraciously eats insects such as aphids and mealy bugs. Ladybugs are wonderful for pest control, which is why they’re welcomed by many organic gardeners. The method of introduction is to release hundreds onto a freshly watered spring or fall garden in the late evening. They will stay on and breed in the same vicinity season after season.
I keep purchasing and releasing them because even though I already have them in my yard, one can never have enough of a good thing. Especially when spring comes around and your favorite roses start buds that attract hungry aphids. A delightful amusement in such times of trouble is to release a hungry ladybug onto an aphid infested rose (or any other plant struggling with this type of infestation). Pull out your camera – consider capturing the moment in motion - because it’s quite a show watching how horrified aphids jump to their death just to avoid being munched by the Ladybug. A single one of these beetles can munch around 50 aphids a day – or around 5,000 aphids in a lifetime. Naturally, I'm hoping the little monsters feel at home in my garden.
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