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The Pros And Cons Of Buying Ladybugs For Natural Garden Pest Control
By TIFFANY SELVEY
Buying ladybugs for garden pest control offers notable advantages. These insects, especially their larvae, act as natural predators of common garden pests like mites
and aphids.
Remarkably, a single ladybug can consume as many as 5,000 aphids in its lifetime, and with a single female laying around 300 eggs, its pest-fighting potential is significant.
Both native and non-native types, including the often misunderstood Asian lady beetles, are effective in pest control, as long as the latter don't enter the homes
during winter.
However, as per ABC10, most of the ladybugs sold in the U.S. come from the Sierra Nevada Mountains, where harvesting is now prohibited, leading to potential poaching concerns.
Moreover, North Dakota State University reports that after release, a vast majority of ladybugs tend to fly over 20 miles away, with less than 1% remaining in one’s garden.