Missing My Ladybugs

Ladybug  Hiding in Clary Sage Plant
@bagarad (14283)
Paso Robles, California
May 11, 2016 2:19pm CST
This morning I could only find two ladybugs left in my garden, each on a different plant. One was on a wormwood plant that had been heavily invested. The other I found hiding in this clary sage plant. She wasn't easy to photograph. The ladybug force finished its job for now. They have eaten almost every aphid. But I miss counting them and will miss photographing them. They did an incredible clean-up job. I love the way Mother Nature tries to protect plants from insect pests. Don't you?
10 people like this
10 responses
@TheHorse (203698)
• Walnut Creek, California
11 May 16
I do too. We have a bunch of lady bug larvae crawling around right now. I think they eat aphids too, even as they're still "in training."
3 people like this
@bagarad (14283)
• Paso Robles, California
11 May 16
They eat just as many as the adult ladybugs.
2 people like this
@bagarad (14283)
• Paso Robles, California
13 May 16
@MarshaMusselman You are quite right. Senior moment. I will edit. Thanks.
1 person likes this
• Midland, Michigan
13 May 16
@bagarad I think you meant the adult ladybug perhaps?
1 person likes this
@cintol (11278)
• United States
11 May 16
I usually have a lot of lady bugs as well but I haven't seen too many this year.
1 person likes this
@bagarad (14283)
• Paso Robles, California
11 May 16
Do you have a lot of aphids for them to eat?
1 person likes this
@bagarad (14283)
• Paso Robles, California
11 May 16
@cintol When I first discovered all my aphids there was only one ladybug in sight. I told her to go get her friends. The next day there were six on that plant and one on another. They just kept coming and larva also started to appear. Each ladybug or larva can eat up to sixty aphids a day.
1 person likes this
@cintol (11278)
• United States
11 May 16
@bagarad Oh yes, there are plenty out there
1 person likes this
• China
15 May 16
Ladybug is the natural enemy of aphid.How I want to see some ladybugs as my Chinese rose is alive with aphids.
1 person likes this
@bagarad (14283)
• Paso Robles, California
18 May 16
Pray of ladybugs. I did.
1 person likes this
@silvermist (19706)
• India
11 May 16
@bagarad After doing their jobs where did they go?
1 person likes this
@bagarad (14283)
• Paso Robles, California
11 May 16
They probably found aphids in someone else's yard.
1 person likes this
@silvermist (19706)
• India
12 May 16
@bagarad Yes,I suppose they are busy with their voluntary work.
1 person likes this
@Tampa_girl7 (48855)
• United States
12 May 16
We have a massive ladybug invasion every year. They drive me nuts. We have a hard time keeping them out of our home.
1 person likes this
@bagarad (14283)
• Paso Robles, California
12 May 16
Are you sure they are ladybugs, not box elder bugs, which are also red and black -- just longer? They love to hang around in groups by house walls and get in if they can.
@bagarad (14283)
• Paso Robles, California
13 May 16
@MarshaMusselman I'll have to check out that page. Thanks for sharing it.
1 person likes this
• Midland, Michigan
13 May 16
They can also be Japanese beetles which tend to be orange in color and will bite if they land on you. I thought that only those were the ones that came inside, but it appears that all varieties might try to hibernate on warm areas of homes and may come inside by mistake.
Insects > Ladybugs > Ladybug Frequently Asked Questions: Get the Facts Seeing Spots? Ever wonder which ladybug you are looking at? What does a "baby" ladybug (larvae) look like? 1. What do ladybugs eat? A. Ladybugs eat Aphids. Aphids are soft bodied insect
1 person likes this
• Eugene, Oregon
14 May 16
I have not looked lately to see how many are left on the roses. I hope they stick around a while.
1 person likes this
@bagarad (14283)
• Paso Robles, California
15 May 16
They can be prey as well as predators. A lot of other creatures like to eat them.
1 person likes this
• United States
12 May 16
the last few years,we've been getting swarms of them-i have no idea why. but hey,it's a good thing.
1 person likes this
@bagarad (14283)
• Paso Robles, California
12 May 16
People may be buying them and setting them loose. They don't always stay where they are released.
@marlina (154183)
• Canada
11 May 16
It is amazing to see the set up that Mother Nature has.
1 person likes this
@bagarad (14283)
• Paso Robles, California
11 May 16
I agree.
• Midland, Michigan
13 May 16
I knew that Japanese beetles which resemble the garden variety ladybug ate aphids, but I didn't realize that the garden variety, the red ones did too. I thought the Japanese ones were brought here to get rid of the aphids and maybe that is why they came. Maybe someone thought we didn't have enough native ladybugs to handle the large aphid population or something. I would doubt the aphids would be gone from your area forever. You're sure to see more again, but maybe not this year, I don't know.
@JohnRoberts (109865)
• Los Angeles, California
11 May 16
It is all part of nature's balance!
1 person likes this
@bagarad (14283)
• Paso Robles, California
11 May 16
Exactly. I'm just glad I didn't have to spray or lose my plants.