In the last couple years I have posted about ladybugs – specifically buying them from your local hardware store to use in the garden. I received a lot of comments (and more criticism that I expected) for suggesting such a thing.
A smattering of arguments against the practice:
They’re invasive in my area.
They aren’t sustainably raised.
They're over harvested from their natural environment(s).
Do you ever feel like whenever you try to make the best decision possible, there is always information out there that you can point to in direct opposition of your decision or the information you've researched? For example:
I like meat. Mmm. Steak.
Steak tastes good.
Eating steak is bad for the environment.
Make sure that you eat beef finished on grass - it's better for the environment.
But beef finished on corn marbles better.
Beef is bad for you – think of the cholesterol and saturated fat!
But what about the French Paradox?
People need to eat more protein – meat being a chief source of it.
Corn prices are going up as corn is diverted to make biofuel
….I’ll leave it at that even though I could keep going
[Yes, these are all things I've heard or read RECENTLY about eating meat.]
Oh lordy. Just think about all the little decisions that you have to make! As someone who lives under the “Earth Day is everyday” umbrella, these little decisions quickly become overwhelming, and everyone has an opinion that they’re more than happy to share with you no matter what decision you come to. (I guess that's what pregnant women have to deal with to the nth degree...)
I’ve used purchased ladybugs in my garden for the last couple years. However, how would you feel if I told you it was a stop-gap measure until my little property could support its own ladybug population? I never planned on buying ladybugs forever. I just wanted to get to a point where my yard sustained its own population - it only took 2.5 years.
My friends, we have ladybugs. EVERYWHERE. Larvae, eggs, and adults.
Quick edit: Pictured clockwise from left: Pupal stage, adult, mid-larva stage
Eggs not pictured - they had already hatched in the couple days between the mental birth of this post and the picture taking stage! For more pictures, info visit Wikipedia.
Plus they’re giving me an excuse not to mow my back lawn.
So folks, make the decisions that are best for you AND mindful for the environment simultaneously. Don't let the tsunami of available information on both sides of every decision/subject paralyze you from making necessary decisions. You’ll never please everyone all the time.
And buying ladybugs isn't the worst environmental decision one could make...
May 1, 2009
A final word on Ladybugs
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31 comments:
I guess this must be the one way in which I got lucky with my garden. The (lack of) drainage is nightmarish and the weeds are even worse, but there's no way I'd ever need to pay for ladybugs. The garden is barely a year old, if that, and I've already got more free ladybugs than I could ever ask for.
There's a real issue with this kind of decision which is that somebody can always make you feel bad about your choice. The thing is, very few of us have the chance to garden with an ecosystem that hasn't been destabilised by herbicides or insecticides or pollution or something else that makes it really difficult to have a proper natural balance.
It seems to me you did the right thing though!
I think you did the right thing. Nothing wrong with doing something like that to create a good habitat.
It's sooo hard to *do the right thing...* when everyone has their own idea of what is right. I think You do it right, by being thoughtful, open minded, sensitive and respectful. I have not seen one ladybug in our rental palace in 3 years, but I would not import any, because the landlord sprays deadly vapors... gah, that ain't right!
I think the garden ladybugs are different from the invasive ones in the house. I hate the latter like I hate no creature. There are hundreds sometimes, leaving behind their little messy 'dots' everywhere. I think there was some mistake that happened years ago in a lab somewhere. They escaped and are now a real problem. They give me the creeps.
On the protein debate, I always smile. I've not eaten meat or fish for 38 years now, and people still worry that I don't get enough protein. :<)
I agree. You did the right thing. And now I know what ladybug larvae and eggs look like, so you're educating us Garden Newbs, too!
Glad that you have some hatching...I think it's the larvae that eat the aphids anyway. Great pics...selling on Agpix yet?
You might be interested then in the Cornell Ladybug Study. I learned a lot about them just by helping scientists note which kinds of bugs I had bipping around my back yard. It'll help you find out if you've got natives or a population of invasive ladies.
queerbychoice - I've noticed that the weeds attract many insects, so I actually cultivate a little area of weeds just so everyone has a place to live and hunt! I will post about it soon. But hey - you have monkey flower in your front yard and that makes me totally jealous.
The Allotment Blogger - So true. As they say, a few bad apples spoil the bunch. I can think of thousands of other things that are less environmentally friendly than introducing ladybugs into my garden...
flowrfirl1 - Thanks for stopping by and leaving a positive comment! We're trying really hard with our Habitat here. Glad to see Mother Nature is healing herself on our little property.
Natalie - Thanks for the support. I know ChickenBlog will someday have its own castle free of herbicides, pesticides, and poisonous vapors!
Nan - Check out the link here in the comments posted by Just Jenn regarding the different types of "ladybugs" - very informative and definitely clears up misconceptions! But yes, I might hate them too if they infested the house. Gross! We eat very little meat here, but the slippery slope argument was more for explanation of how it feels - and I've literally read all of those arguments in the last week. :D
Emily - Thanks for leaving a comment. Actually, there are no ladybug eggs pictured here because I had seen them just a couple days before I went to take these pictures and found some, but the day of the pictures, they were all gone! Hatched, I'm sure. For pictures of ladybug eggs, click here.
AMorris - Yep, it is the zipper bug/alligator creatures that eat the majority of the ladybugs. Thanks for the AgPix link - checking it out now. The house you found sounds hopeful. Crossing my fingers for you.
Just Jenn - THANK YOU for that informative link! This clears up so much of what I think people thought last year when I introduced ladybugs into our yard! There are different species...! Very cool.
I think your doing fine. 2 years ago for christmas I got Noah ladybug eggs and the little plastic house to watch them grow. we let them go as adults in the yard and now this year they are evrywhere! when my dad was in his 20's he had a buddy who went out in the wild and caught ladybugs by the 1000's. I saw a special on it on tv. I always thought it would be cool to see all them little suckers hanging out in one woody location. now if my praying mantis eggs would hatch I would be happy!
Very cool! They certainly aren't invasive in our area. I should buy some for my roses.
We love those ladybugs here in our yard. Although they don't make good winter house guests. I saw the larval stage today on our strawberries, they are welcome anywhere they want to go. I've never bought any so these just found their way here.
I think it's unlikely that we will ever know everything - so we make the best choices we can with the knowledge we have at the time.
When we learn something new, an open mind makes it easier to assimilate that info, and use it to guide a new decision.
If our minds our closed, we end up making excuses to justify the old choice, regardless of its value in light of new info.
The nice thing about your community here, is there are a lot of open minds.
Thank you for posting the pictures--those are nice references. I also have a gazillion ladybugs in my back yard this year. I literally cannot take a step without seeing at least one. It's like "guilt-be-gone" for having not stayed caught up on weeding (where they are living) last month. My daughter is loving every minute of it.
On the turkey front: This weekend was going to be my weekend to finish the yard work out front... As you know, it is still raining. Boo. I am so close to having something to tell and pictures to show. I'll be in touch, I promise.
look at it this way, human intervention put the predator/prey ratio out of balance. Nature would have caught up eventually...but
A little human intervention put things back on track. In the mean time while you were suffering crop loss, you would have likely had to purchase produce that came at a higher environment impact.
Look at it as a least harm situation.
This sounds a bit more punk, sticking it to the ladybug fascists. People need to remember that there is nothing cuter than a five year old in a ladybug costume and few things better for a garden than a big patch of ladybugs.
nicely done. :)
it seems like there's a 'devil's advocate' for every argument.
Hello!
I just found you, via oooby! and Punk Permaculture. I am really excited, and happy to have found your site! You both are into great gardening, and Permaculture, Chris brews beer, and Katie's photography is fantastic. We've got a lot in common, and believe me when I tell you, I WISH I didn't live in West Tennessee. I'm transplanted here against my every fiber, from Michigan, for the job.
So, I found two acres, and a new 1,500 sq.ft. house, less than 20-miles from work for $128,000 two years ago, and I am busy, busy, busy doing everything that the two of you are doing, only lots bigger, and by myself. My plans are pretty much the same, only I'm at least a year behind you, due to well... being single.
Good thing is that this spring, I inspired 3 other neighbors to all get into doing it too, and together, we've shared labor, friendship, knowledge, and actually have become-- gasp! a COMMUNITY! Across four, connecting lots, it's wave after wave of raised-beds, and fruit and nut trees, Blueberry bushes, and bramble fruit stands all new, and ready to roll.
I am most happy with the strangeness of the types of those of us involved. I am a 40 year old Liberal Punk, One couple is apolitical, small-"c" christian, I could probably take them to a Rainbow gathering, and they'd be alright. The next family of six kids, is Capital "C" Christian, homeschool, young earth and everything else that goes with that-- Sarah Palin, gobbless her! But, honestly, we get along, because I just appreciate that they are willing to join in this Community of neighbors. I just let them talk. Their middle son, of 16 years, is really motivated, and did all the necessary tilling, and does many odd-jobs. The last couple is most interesting. Jim is a retired Warrant Officer 4. Flew in Vietnam, and retired after flying in Afghanistan, when Agent Orange finally caught-up to him. Hardcore Jim, is married to Liberal Fonda. Wonderful woman. My motivation to keep things light and neighborly, as we all work toward a super-giving and fertile 4-lot garden and orchard bonanza. I forgot how much a small group can really do in a situation like this.
Short story, long-- I am really impressed by what you two have done over the past couple of years. Your archives, videos and photography are fantastic.
Hey, By the way-- your Blossom End Rot problems will be quickly fixed by adding some lime and a lot of Calcium. I'd get a good organic granulated or liquid product, and lay it in. Also throw in some chicken grit. it pure calcium, for the long-run. side dress those maters and squashes with your eggshells.
Your harvests will be vastly improved. Same for all cucurbits, and peppers, too.
Every time I buy and release ladybugs, they just fly off. I would recco that you put a "Bug trap" bed in, full of lots of everything, but, over there, away from the rest of the garden, and releasing mantises and ladybugs when you start seeing breakouts there. They'll feast for a while, and then fly off to look for more food, and hopefully find your other beds nearby. It helps to anchor them to your area.
Cheers!
--mf
Monkeyfister - Thanks for stopping by and leaving a comment! It's great to hear from other folks about their stories. I am excited to head over to your blog and read up! Take care, talk to you soon. -Katie
Great pics.
What kind of camera do you have?
chigiy - It's a Sony A100, but any digital SLR can take great pictures!
This is too cool for school! I'd never seen ladybug larvae before, or eggs. Ladybugs have always been rather easy to come by in my yard, so I always thought it kind of quirky to buy them. Now I understand why- I got lots o' weeds! Diversity rules, you know...
I swear I left a comment on this post....perhaps I just did it in my brain.
Good on ya for sticking to your plan. It turned out to be a good one! It is so hard as we become more and more aware. It is like we get less and less brave because there is something wrong with everything. And, really, it isn't realistic to be naked and off the grid. Or, perhaps it is for some but not me. I just try to do my best at remaining informed and making the best decisions for myself, my family, my community, my world. Lovin' your sweet lady bugs.
I was just out today cutting back all the grasses that have grown like crazy with all this recent rain we have had. I can't tell you how many ladybugs I found, so I left some of the grasses uncut. I have never seen that many before. My grandmother always tells me to make sure you have some "weeds", because they keep the good bugs around. That also might be a way to justify not getting to all the weeding!
I used to buy lady bugs. Usually they would all fly off (maybe they died - how would I know). It seems that I have lady bugs naturally most of the time. Anyway don't live your life and make decisions for other people. Trust your judgement.
I think this is one of the best written series of thoughts on this subject of "the right thing to do". So perfectly stated.
Cheers.
Any biological control MUST be better than spraying! I use nematodes to control slugs and phytoseulus to control red spider mite. I don't have to spray.
Nice shot!
I've been seeing those things all over my plants. I thought they were Potato bugs, but they're lady bugs? Bummer, I've been squishing them:(
I've never purchased ladybugs, as I'd read that they often just fly off elsewhere. If that's true, I think one my neighbors released some, as I have a bumper crop this year. (And I am lazy enough to have left plenty of aphids for them.
I love lady bugs, those pictures are so neat!
Your point about the steak is so true... you run into problems with everything. I think it is a great point to bring up.
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