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Neem oil and ladybug deaths

jointeffort

jointeffort

How long should I wait after applying a neem oil spray 0.9% neem before releasing lady bugs onto plants?

I sprayed yesterday evening and allowed the leaves etc to dry for several hours. I then released 1500 ladybugs at 10 pm.

This morning all of the lady bugs that stuck around were dead. Some were dead on the leaves and others in the soil.

Not sure what went wrong. :(
 
I'm going to venture a guess and say the neem oil killed the lady bugs.....?


That's my guess. But according to all my research the ladybugs should have been fine.
 
I've never used either one but either your research was misleading or you had something else going on. A large number of lady bugs should not just suddenly die overnight. I wish I could help. 
 
I've never used either one but either your research was misleading or you had something else going on. A large number of lady bugs should not just suddenly die overnight. I wish I could help. 


Thanks. That's why I'm reaching out. Hope someone can tell me a definitive cause.
 
Neem + water I hope?
 
I used a Neem and Castile soap spray last year fairly regularly and had no issues, but I also dilute mine quite a bit. If you let the neem spray dry out first, then it shouldn't affect the ladybugs at all I would think.
 
Neem + water I hope?
 
I used a Neem and Castile soap spray last year fairly regularly and had no issues, but I also dilute mine quite a bit. If you let the neem spray dry out first, then it shouldn't affect the ladybugs at all I would think.


The neem spray I used was RTU (ready to use) so no need for water. And they spray had dried.

The only thing I can think of is that in the morning the grass was wet and so were the pepper leaves.

Not sure that makes a difference.
 
Ladybugs are bugs. Neem kills bugs. Neem kills ladybugs. Pretty simple.
 
That aside, I'd suggest waiting at least two weeks between applying neem and getting ladybugs.
 
geeme said:
Ladybugs are bugs. Neem kills bugs. Neem kills ladybugs. Pretty simple.
 
That aside, I'd suggest waiting at least two weeks between applying neem and getting ladybugs.
Click to expand...
Do you have a link you can provide that says neem kills lady bugs? I can't find anything on the web that supports that claim.
 
They are not known to kill ladie bugs. Neem is meant as a repellent for hard bodied insects, and a killer for soft bodied insects like aphids.


Any idea what went wrong?
 
jointeffort said:
Any idea what went wrong?
Click to expand...
 
I have no ideas actually, sorry. It could be that there were other ingredients in the spray as PMD mentioned above. I use pure neem oil that I mix 1 teaspoon per liter (quart) of water, and I have never experienced anything like you described.
 
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