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misc APHID WAR. LADYBUG TROOPS ARE IN.

PepperDaddler

PepperDaddler

The Organocide did not work. Heavy artillery has commenced.
 
THE LADYBUGS ARE ON THE FRONT LINES.
 

 
Okay, enough theatrics.
 
So I bought some Ladybugs from ACE ( thanks ED ) and an wondering about any tricks on using them to keep them around.
 
This is probably all I need to know but I am sure some of you have used them before. The things I know to do are:
 
-Water the plants thoroughly before release
 
-Release them at dusk or night
 
The only other tip I have heard is to spray them with a coke and  water mix to keep their wings glued shut. I don't want to drown them in the process but if this has worked good for any of you I might give it a shot.
 
Should I release all of them at once or hold on to a few?
 
Any more suggestions and advice is welcome.
 
Thanks!
 
 
 
I think it also depends on how much of an aphid infestation you have. The more aphids that are on your plants the longer the lady bugs should stick around. Best of luck to ya. I have been battleing aphids this yr myself.
 
I have a theory that grand-daddy long-legs help too... my plants never seem to have problems with aphids.. but i notice spiders and GD long-legs love my plants.... let the spiders stay.
 
There are aphids everywhere still but it is weird. Their numbers seem to be dropping, and it has been a while since I tried the organocide. I thought the numbers would increase? They seem to like some plants more than others too.
 
Oh well, the ladybugs will take care of them.
 
I just want to do everything right and not have $10 just fly away.
 
Have you tried neem seed oil? its completely non-toxic and has a not unpleasant orange smell.  If the ladybugs dont work... mix up some neem oil as directed on the bottle and spray it on your plants... drenching them... and making sure to cover the underside of all the leaves...  the aphids will die :party:
 
;)  its a fungicide as well as an insecticide... Also, not that i think you should be worried... but just in case :scared: ... its also a naturally occuring spermicide XD   :rofl:     
 
Spraying them with sugar to glue their wings shut? That's ridiculous.
They are flying insects that use their wings to fly from leaf to leaf.
Yeah they might fly away but they will also return. If you have food for them (aphids).
Like every other predatory animal, they go where the food is.
Forcing them to walk from leaf to leaf will just slowly starve them.

Then you will be asking why all your lady bugs are dead. just let nature do what nature does.
 
Scoville DeVille said:
Spraying them with sugar to glue their wings shut? That's ridiculous.
They are flying insects that use their wings to fly from leaf to leaf.
Yeah they might fly away but they will also return. If you have food for them (aphids).
Like every other predatory animal, they go where the food is.
Forcing them to walk from leaf to leaf will just slowly starve them.

Then you will be asking why all your lady bugs are dead. just let nature do what nature does.
Click to expand...
 
Just something I kept finding online, not an idea I came up with. And not something I was probably going to do anyway.
 
Noah Yates said:
Have you tried neem seed oil? its completely non-toxic and has a not unpleasant orange smell.  If the ladybugs dont work... mix up some neem oil as directed on the bottle and spray it on your plants... drenching them... and making sure to cover the underside of all the leaves...  the aphids will die :party:
 
;)  its a fungicide as well as an insecticide... Also, not that i think you should be worried... but just in case :scared: ... its also a naturally occuring spermicide XD   :rofl:     
Click to expand...
 
The stuff I used stated sesame oil and fish oil as main ingredients and it did smell like fish bad. Those oils seem to be bad for the plants when the sun comes back out though. That's why I am going the "organic" route and going all natural.
 
Yeah... and I dont think the coke idea is very good... it would be like removing your "terminator's" jetpack.. which is obviously removing an advantage.
 
And dude... sesame oil and fish oil?! wtf?!   i am talking about neem seed oil... completewly different... if you have not heard of neem seed extract you MUST look it up.  And as far as organics go... it is completely organic.
 
You can find it almost anywhere... check your local lowes, walmart, home depot, or garden center.
 
That's the problem, this year and last have not seen a single one. And I stay in a yellow house! ( Supposedly they are attracted to yellow )
 
Spray the leaves well and they will stick around till they are done! They eat like 100 aphids an hour or something. Mine stayed almost 24 hours with a few staying longer. My girl and i open up some wine and have a lady bug party twice a year. its fun
 
good luck
 
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