TCS-Hydroponics - Ladybug Information

LADYBUGS

(Hippodamia convergens)

Lady Bugs will be sent out within 72 Hrs. of your order approval,
Monday through Wednesday. No live bugs will be sent on Thursday-Sunday so
they won't sit in the Post Office for longer than needed. They will be sent US
Priority Mail ( Usually 2-3 days). No Live Guarantee on orders sent to P.O.
Boxes.

After receiving your package of ladybugs, leave the bag sealed and
place it in a refrigerator, or another cool place. This calms the ladybugs
from their shipping experience. Early evening is the best time to release
them and gives them all night to settle in, find food and water and decide
they've found a good home (your garden!).

Ladybugs will probably be thirsty from their long journey and will appreciate
moist places in which to drink. If necessary, sprinkle some water around
first before their release. Later on, they'll get most of their moisture needs from
aphids and other plant pests.

Ladybugs like having large pest populations to eat, which helps
stimulate them to mate and lay eggs. When food is harder to find, adult ladybugs
may fly off, but the eggs hatch and provide further control. ( Both adults
and larvae feed on insect pests. ) If desired, you can keep ladybug adults
from flying away by "gluing" their wings shut, temporarily, with a
sugar-water solution. Half water and half sugared pop (Coke,Pepsi, etc.) in a spray
bottle, works fine. Spray it right in the bag the ladybugs come in, as soon as you open it.
You'll easily coat most of them. After a week or so, the "glue" wears off.

What do ladybug eggs and larvae look like? Their eggs look like
clusters of little orange footballs, each laid on edge. After hatching, they'll
look like tiny black "alligators" , with orange spots. Extremely fast
moving, they grow 1/2" long over 2-3 weeks, then pupate, usually on the top of
the leaf, into another adult ladybug. One larvae will eat about 400
medium-size aphids during its development to the pupal stage. An adult ladybug may
eat over 5000 aphids during its lifetime ( about a year ).

When not being used, ladybugs may be stored in the refrigerator, where
they live off body fat. In order for ladybugs to mature and lay eggs, they
need nectar and pollen sources. This is normally supplied by the wide range
of plants outside, such as flowering plants and legumes ( peas, beans,
clover, alfalfa ). If desired, you can substitute beneficial insect food if
these others are lacking. ( This isn't necessary for pest control with lady
bugs, only as an aid in breeding.)

Suggested release rates for ladybugs vary widely, with recommendations
varying from 1 gallon (72,000) for 10 acres, up to 3 gallons per acre.
You can't use too many ladybugs, but remember that they do take time. They
need to be released early enough in the pest cycle so that they have time to
be effective. For home use, 1500 is usually enough for one application in
a small greenhouse or garden. For larger areas. a quart (18.000) or
gallon (72.000) may be desired. Many people store them in the refrigerator,
and make regular repeated releases, perhaps weekly.

If ladybugs are used indoors or in a greenhouse, screen off any
openings to prevent their escape. And, of course, you'll want to avoid spraying
with pesticides, both after release and for at least a month before. (Soapy sprays
such as Safers, are an exception. You can use them right up to the arrival of the
ladybugs, and indeed, ladybugs hard outer shell seems to protect them from soapy
sprays even afterwards. Botanical pesticides [pyrethrin, rotenone, etc.} are ok to
use if you wait a week before releasing ladybugs.)