Some gardeners know ladybugs as natural enemies of the aphid. The aphid is a small, soft-bodied insect that sucks sap from plants and can rapidly destroy crops in large numbers. When the population of aphids is low enough, these predators will control their growth to contain them. Lady beetles are not native to all areas of the world, so many gardeners have to go out of their way to buy them for pest control.

Ladybugs eat aphids. Aphids eat plants, and ladybugs eat aphids, so ladybugs are good for gardeners to keep around. Ladybugs also eat other plant-devouring insects, but aphids are the most common. Ladybugs eat many aphids in a day, and one ladybug may eat as many as 5,000 in its lifetime.

Below, we address some of the finer points regarding ladybugs as an aphid control.

Will ladybugs control aphids?

In most areas of North America, there are three types of lady beetle living in gardens: The Convergent Lady Beetle, the Seven-spotted Lady Beetle, and the Twice-stabbed Lady Beetle.

The most common type is found in the Convergent Lady Beetle because it has stronger resistance to cold than the other two types. Ladybugs also hibernate in winter when aphids are less active. The Convergent Lady Beetles are very active aphid predators, although they prefer more prey than just aphids. They will also eat mites, mealybugs, and soft-scale insects. Convergent lady beetles can be bought by mail order or at garden centers for this purpose.

How do you use ladybugs for aphids?

Lady Beetles can be purchased in different ways. Some gardeners purchase them at their local nursery or hardware store, but they may also be purchased online. This method costs more money than using insects caught in the wild, but it allows gardeners to control pests without having live insects in their homes. The price of these insects ranges from $2 to $3 USD per each individual insect.

Gardeners can order millions of beetles and release them into their gardens. Some gardeners are concerned about releasing these predators into their gardens because ladybugs feed on the few aphids that would naturally inhabit the area and may not eliminate pest populations as effectively as desired. These gardeners can opt to release smaller numbers of beetles into the garden: 10,000 or 50,000 per acre.

These predators can also be shipped with live plants from some companies; it is recommended that this method be used only for tropical plants. This method eliminates concerns of potential problems associated with introducing non-native insects to one’s property, such as disease transmission and competition between native and introduced species.
Lady Bug Postcards (pictured) show ladybugs consuming aphids but cannot be relied upon for proof of the aphids’ diet.

How many aphids do ladybugs eat per day? In a range of 3 to 50 days, beetles can consume up to 20 times their own weight in aphids each day.

In one study, these predators ate between 24 and 47% of the population of infested soybean crops daily. This is a significant reduction for a natural predator because other pests pose a greater threat to soybean production than do aphids.

Some gardeners have found that releasing more lady beetles into their gardens results in fewer aphid populations later on. The reason for this occurrence is not known, but it could be due to prolonged predation or cannibalism by adult insects. In areas where aphids are not present in large numbers, releasing lady beetles is unlikely to eliminate the aphids’ population.

One study found that when ladybirds were introduced into an area where there were already aphids, they ate more of them than if they were released into areas without existing populations of this pest. The researchers hypothesize that in these cases, ladybugs need to build up their energy reserves before they become effective predators.

This means gardeners should release these insects when aphid populations are high or during late summer when aphids are most abundant. Ladybugs may consume more aphids when released with other natural enemies of the pests, such as parasitic wasps and certain fungi.

Certain species of lady beetles have been found to be more effective aphid predators than others. The Convergent Lady Beetle, in particular, is commonly used because it has a higher reproductive rate and is more likely to compete with other predators, such as the Seven-spotted lady beetle.

What kills aphids without ladybugs?

Aphids can be killed with insecticides like Cyfluthrin, which is an insecticide that is both safe and beneficial for the environment. It has low toxicity to humans; however, it should not be sprayed on food crops or used in areas where there are children or pets. This pesticide functions by preventing nerve impulses within insects’ bodies, causing paralysis and death.

Some gardeners pre-treat their plants with this pesticide before releasing the lady beetles into the area. Once this product is applied correctly according to its label directions, it can control aphids for up to 12 weeks.
Other pesticides that may help gardeners control aphids include Deltamethrin, Permethrin, and Imidacloprid.

Aphids can also be eradicated using natural products like neem oil. This product is derived from the seeds of the neem tree (Azadirachta indica), which has anti-insect properties. It acts as a respiratory stimulant in insects, causing them to suffocate.

When combined with other pesticides in commercial products, neem oil can increase insecticidal activity while decreasing the risk to beneficial organisms like ladybugs.

Aphids may be killed by soil solarization, which entails covering infested soil with clear plastic for 4 to 8 weeks during hot weather. The high temperatures under this material kill the pests and their eggs. This method is labor-intensive, but it can be used commercially to control large aphid populations.

Aphids may also be killed by biological methods that include introducing microbial pesticides into infested areas.
These pesticides are made from naturally occurring bacteria and fungi, which attack the reproduction cycle of pests by causing malformation in embryos or preventing them from reaching maturity.

A ladybug can eat as many as 5,000 aphids in its lifetime.

Ladybugs are best at controlling small populations of aphids and not large ones. They can take up to a week to control smaller populations of these pests.

Certain fungi and parasitic insect wasps also help reduce aphid numbers. These organisms do not have the same visual appeal as lady beetles, but they are just as effective at eliminating aphids.
When releasing ladybugs into your garden, be sure to wait until nighttime. They prefer to hunt at night when it is cool and dark, which increases their effectiveness.

There are safe means of controlling aphids. Gardeners who use aphids as a food source for their chickens or fish may consider using oils, powders, or soaps. However, these products must be used carefully because they can harm beneficial insects and the environment.

Conclusion

In conclusion, ladybugs eat aphids as well as other small pests, providing a natural approach to garden management. The insects can be purchased at local greenhouses and released into the area to control the population of aphids. They should be applied in concentrations large enough to make an impact but small enough that they do not eradicate all predators within the environment.

Gardeners may also choose to use pesticides containing Cyfluthrin or Deltamethrin, which can kill aphids and other pests and last for several weeks.

Working together, these methods can help gardeners maintain their gardens free from harmful pests such as caterpillars and aphids without harming non-pest insects like ladybugs.