We use organic pest controls at Cool Beans, which are often extremely sophisticated measures like telling Judi’s children to go out and squish potato beetles. But sometimes, even with such good help as Jake, Seth, Boo and Sarah, we need reinforcements, and we call in the big guns.
Ladybugs eat aphids. Aphids are an inevitable problem in greenhouses. When there’s too much aphid pressure, you need ladybugs. Simple enough, but it’s not like you’re going to find them on the shelf at Target. I order mine by the half pint from the aptly named Ladies in Waiting company, and they come by Fed Ex. The driver is always grateful that it’s not another box of bees. They’re released in the evening when the sun’s just going down – imagine having a mesh sock in your hand and you’re sprinkling ladybugs in your path as you walk through the greenhouse, humming the theme from the A-team, imagining your little army unleashed on the bad guys – it’s kind of surreal.
Here’s a batch that landed in some lettuce, where there wasn’t much to interest them – meanwhile, I’m offering encouraging advice about the tasty morsels they’ll find on the nearby spinach. Sadly, they don’t speak English, but it didn’t take them long to get acclimated and get to work.
nom nom nom
The second picture shows one settling in one badly infested iris fan, ready to tuck in. By this morning, twelve hours after release, that particular leaf was free of aphids. One ladybug can eat nearly a hundred a day. I can almost hear them munching.
katie