Although it seems that it brings good luck, one thing is certain about the ladybug: its larvae are valuable allies for any gardener who wants to get rid of parasites without resorting to pesticides.
Thanks to their insatiable appetite, they can overcome aphids that attack your plants.
All in a natural way and while promoting biodiversity in the garden!
What do ladybug larvae eat?
As aphidophagous insects, ladybugs and their larvae feed on parasites such as aphids, mites or mealybugs depending on the species.
Also read: 8 things to know about the Asian ladybug
Do ladybug larvae eat aphids?
Yes, they are real natural anti-aphids!
A real scourge for plants, aphids are pests that feed on plant sap, slowing their growth and causing deformation of the leaves.
If we have long thought that we had to resort to chemical products to get rid of them, it is now proven that there are biological ways to fight against these parasites, which are as small as they are damaging.
Ladybug larvae come first, due to their insatiable appetite which allows them to overcome an aphid invasion in just a few days.
They can devour
up to
150 aphids
daily while a ladybug can eat 100. They eat all kinds of aphids, whether green, yellow or black.
Ladybug larvae can devour up to 150 aphids daily, whether green, yellow or black.
Copyright (c) 2016 Pavel Krasensky/Shutterstock.
No use without permission.
Where are ladybug larvae found?
Ladybug larvae can be found naturally in a garden.
To attract ladybugs and therefore their larvae, it is essential not to use pesticides.
It is also possible to favor a few species of plants that they love such as borage, nasturtium, wormwood, centaury or even anthemis.
To save time, especially in the event of an invasion, it is also possible to buy larvae directly from gardening stores.
When to introduce ladybug larvae into your garden?
Ladybug larvae are sensitive to temperature variations as well as humidity.
It is therefore preferable to place them in your garden
between the beginning of spring and the end of autumn
, on a sunny day with mild temperatures, preferably in the morning or early evening.
In any case, do not release on a rainy, windy day or in case of frost.
How to introduce ladybug larvae into your garden?
For the introduction of ladybug larvae to be successful, here are some tips to follow:
It is imperative to introduce ladybug larvae in the event of a proven pest invasion, at the risk of seeing them die of starvation;
Place them directly
on infested plants
.
Results are visible in 2 to 5 days;
Ants
tend to protect aphids from their natural predators because they feed on their honeydew.
It is therefore imperative not to install ladybug larvae near an ant colony;
Also keep larvae away from plants treated with
a chemical pesticide,
even if its composition is of plant origin.
How do you know if the ladybug larvae have been effective?
Ladybug larvae overcome an aphid invasion
in 2 to 5 days.
You just need to observe the presence of dead or dried aphids to see this.
Ladybug larvae overcome an aphid invasion in 2 to 5 days.
Copyright (c) 2017 Henrik Larsson/Shutterstock.
No use without permission.
Which species of ladybug to choose?
Each species of ladybug larva has its own specificities and makes it possible to target certain parasites.
Here are which ones to choose depending on the parasites to be eliminated:
The larvae of the 7-spotted ladybug
(
Coccinella septempunctata
) are most commonly used in gardens.
They are recommended to combat black aphids when they are on beans, low plant beds and rose bushes;
The larvae of the migratory ladybug
(
Hippodamia undecimnotata
) are ideal for getting rid of yellow oleander aphids.
Indeed, the latter are toxic for many species of ladybug larvae;
The larvae of the 2-spotted ladybug
(
Adalia bipunctata
) like to gain height.
They are recommended for treating trees infested with aphids, whether fruit or ornamental.