Found a Ladybug to patrol indoor plants for aphids!

applestar · Sat Mar 20, 2010 10:41 am

Yesterday was such a warm day -- nearly 80Ã‚ÂºF in the sunshine, 68Ã‚Âº in shade.
Happily

a ladybug has awakened and was roaming the fence. I brought it inside to patrol my Jalapeno and Sweet peppers plants that have been suffering from aphid invasion --
[img]https://i290.photobucket.com/albums/ll272/applesbucket/Image6562.jpg[/img]

Look at the color on this bug! When I caught it, the spots were barely discernible. I'd say it's been feasting.

Toil · Sat Mar 20, 2010 11:57 am

Nice!

Is that the native kind or the imported kind? I'm not great with visual stuff.

FYI, at the end of the season they bite. I don't know why but it is annoying.

gixxerific · Sat Mar 20, 2010 2:53 pm

Nice! I came across one yesterday too, I was happy myself.

I should have brought it in for the fungus gnats they do eat those don't they? Actully the gnats were pretty much gone than I brought in my big tomato that has been outside when a stampede of gnats started going everywhere. Needles to say "el tomato went back outside.

Toil · Sat Mar 20, 2010 3:51 pm

I don't believe they prey on gnats.

applestar · Sat Mar 20, 2010 3:58 pm

Nope. Just aphids. Get spiders for the flying gnats, HG said predatory nematodes eat the maggots in the soil. I think my baby centipedes are eating them too.

gixxerific · Sun Mar 21, 2010 8:58 am

You gotta love all the critters of the soil food web. It seems now every time I go planting I find something wriggling around. I saw something yesterday not sure what it was a VERY tiny worm like creature I thought about taking a pic but it disapeared.

rainbowgardener · Sun Mar 21, 2010 9:23 am

My cluster of ladybugs that wintered over in the top corner above the front door has disappeared. They've been showing up in ones and twos in various places in the house and being escorted out. I don't need them indoors and don't want them to die....

It is amazing to see that they made it through the winter. There are no dead ladybugs on the floor and the cluster has totally disappeared. All winter they just sat there, no food, no water, not moving and then come spring (how did they know!? in a dark corner in temperature regulated house) they woke up and dispersed themselves!