I just bought ladybugs before seeing this video. I guess it'll be okay this one time, and I can see how it goes, but you've sold me on trying out Aphidoletes aphidomyza next year! I subscribed - I'm excited to learn more about using bugs in the garden. There's a lot of general gardening advice on UA-cam, but I appreciate seeing this more ecologically-minded approach you're sharing here. Thanks for teaching me!
Just found your channel after watching MiGardener tout the benefits of buying ladybugs. I once released purchased ladybugs inside for my tropicals that must overwinter inside my home. I used to get masses of local ladybugs to come inside every year but the stink bugs have taken over! I HATE stink bugs much less inside my home. The ones I bought took care of the aphid infestation but never reproduced as the local ones did. I plan to check out the alternative you suggested. I love to invite predators to my nonchemical garden with many umbrel blooms to entice them! Thank you for encouraging gardeners to use nature for our pest solutions! Subscribed!
Amazing video! A few weeks back, I had a shrub infested with aphids and honeydew secreted all over the bottom leaves. It looked bad but was a paradise for ladybugs and hoverflies. I saw various species of adult ladybugs (seven spot, convergent, asian ladybug, and this small one without any spots). The last one I have yet to find the species name. Ladybug larvae and hoverfly larvae also claimed their feasts. Now the shrub has been cleaned and only stray pupa wait to emerge.
That’s excellent! And now that next generation of predators will be looking for more. Even if your yard is free of aphids, you did your neighbours a favour!
Just subscribed and thank you. My 12 yr old son is helping an older couple in the neighborhood with their aphid problem which is all over the Kale. He is a young aspiring Gardner himself. His suggestion was a ladybug release but with below freezing temps coming decided against it. He was going to do a neem oil spray to depopulate them and then do a ladybug release in the spring, however I am going to have him watch this video with me and consider the aphidimyza alternative. Considering the temps would you have any advice - and what additional "educational" opportunities could I provide him. He generally, right or wrong, learns from UA-cam.
Thanks so much for sharing! I have never been an advocate of buying ladybugs. I tried it once when I was younger and my mom bought a bag and they didn’t even stick around 24 hours even though I I’d everything recommended to do. I had tons of aphids and they didn’t make a dent. Now I just let the ladybugs come naturally.
Thanks for watching! It is much better watching the native ones show up. Sometimes if a released biocontrol flies away, it isn’t going far. But when they have to migrate, you know they are gone.
@@jasonclayton936 You're better off only growing squash vine bore resistant varieties of plants. Google them. This year that's what I'm doing. Growing honeynut squash and rampicante
I have 3 plants that keep getting meallybugs on them. My other plants near by never get them. I keep my plants in a screened patio. What sould I use then if Ladybugs are just going to starve to death in my patio?
I do gardening in pots on my balcony, so it's a very small garden and when I get the aphids invasion, I use to go out and walk around, checking under the local trees leaves to find ladybug larvae. I pick one or two depending on how many plants are infested and I place them on my plants, they do the job and they get paid with aphids to eat. (If you do that, keep an eye on the aphid population and if the aphids are all gone, you can take the larvae and place it back on the exact same tree you found it on to maximize it's chances to survive). Keeping in mind that if there are ants, they will attack the ladybug larvae so if you have aphids + ants, you want to get rid of the ants first (Diatomaceous earth could work, or traps etc) This is also the reason you want to release the larvae on the same tree in case you release them, as releasing them on another tree infested with aphid (but also infested with ants) would probably mean a lot of struggle for them and potentially death.
Yes, moving beneficials from a natural place to a place where you want them is the oldest form of bio-control and was being practiced likely long before we have written record.
Is it still wrong to spray when applying Korean Natural Farming ( KNF) method ( JADAM ) to reduce Aphid infestation. Would a Concoction of Garlic, Chilli and Castile Soap harm the Ladybugs.
Hi John. Thanks for commenting. For the first question, yes. My understanding of the Korean method and of Jadam, in principle, is that the goal is to create a complete and incredibly dense populous of micro-organisms. Most pesticides and certainly all soaps, acids or bases will have a detrimental effect on the success of those methods. As for the idea that JADAM can be used as a pesticide: there is little scientific evidence. There is evidence and the practice of applying beneficial fungi (B. Bassianna) to plant tissues a to kill pests. I’m sure applying a cocktail might have an effect against pests, but I’m unsure it wouldn’t have other non-target affects that are less desirable. For the second question: also yes. The Soap will kill anything. Soaps are the basis of most chemical pesticides. They work well, but are non-selective.. meaning they kill everything. Garlic and chili is also a pesticide. Although natural, it contains both oils and acids which will kill invertebrates and scare away others. But, what we don’t see is those harm plant tissues as well.
@@gardeningwithbugs721 WOW ! That answer blew me away. I garden as naturally as possible and I’ve been experimenting with the KNF and following vloggers who say it’s organic. And they do densely diversify their gardens . Maybe it’s that what’s helping them produce good crops. Not all the JADAM is harsh. You mention using inoculating fungi to ward off the bad bugs. Would that be using compost teas to boost the plants defence system. If so , these are KNF practices.
@@johnwilton3496 yes, Jadam shares a method of inoculating leaf surfaces, but the principles are different. The fungi is found in the soil, isolated and grown in high numbers then applied to the leaf. It does not affect plants, it is a fungi that kills invertebrates. But JADAM and all compost teas has the idea that loads of microorganism provide protection. There isn’t much data to support it, but anything that costs the leaves (and doesn’t hurt the plant) is occupying space for pathogens. What there is proof of, is that the dense and diverse microorganism in the soil promote plant growth and nutrition. And a healthy plant can fight off most pests by themselves. So, that is likely where the success comes from.
@@gardeningwithbugs721 . What about the Soil Food Web work of Elaine Ingram . She’s been studying Soil for 40 years. Compost teas can feed the Fungi in the soil which causes an increase in the microbial population.
Chances are they were "trying to mate." If they look different, they are likely a different species (and therefore can't reproduce with one another.) But there are also many different forms within ladybug species.
Sorry I missed this. I doubt this is the same in Australia. In North America we sell the 'convergent ladybeetle.' It is native to North America. If you do have a native one collected and sold in the same manner, then it might have the same negative results. Luckily Australia is very closed off and careful with invasive species and you have world-renowned entomologist to manage such things.
Thank you very much for this video. I have purchased lady bugs before but, thanks to the information you provided, I won’t. What is a good predator for red spider mites?
Thanks for watching! Red spider mites are easily controlled by Stethorus punctillum or Neosieulus fallacis. How you use them and the rates would depend on the plant and environment.
I worked closely with the Hope Bay Hop Farm. They didn’t have red mites, but there were big fans of Aphidoletes for aphid control. For hops we start with fallacis as an early season application with rates as low as 2 mites per square meter. Otherwise, once the bines are on the wire it’s tough to get some mites up there. I also grow several hops and used the new guy Anystis baccarum (The Crazee Mite) and they seemed to love the hops.
I use ladybugs for my cannabis grows. My pests are spider mites, white flies, and thrips. What alternative to ladybugs would you recommend? This is for an indoor grow setup. And honestly, I don't mind finding random ladybugs around the house.
There are different options depending on what country you live in. The commercial standard is Aphidoletes aphidimyza. It's a predatory midge. Not as cute as ladybugs wandering around, but pretty devastating against aphids indoors especially. ua-cam.com/video/J1qGsl80Zzo/v-deo.html This video talks about them outdoors, but indoors is easier. You just need to have your fan speed reduced or turned off when you release them. (That actually makes ladybugs more effective too. They need to smell the aphids and fly to them, but won't with wind speeds over 2 mph).
For spider mites: Stethorus punctillum, Neoseiulus californicus&fallacis, Phytoseiulus persimilis. First one is a small ladybug and the others are mites. For white flies: Delphastus catalinae and Encarsa formosa. Another ladybug and a tiny parasitic wasp, respectively. For thrips: Neoseiulus cucumeris and Anystis baccarum. N cucumeris are specific predators of thrips. They will find eggs laid inside plant tissue (as thrips do) and wait to bite the heads off the thrips larvae as they emerge. Anystis baccarum will just straight up murder anything it comes in contact with. They are insane. You can also introduce some lacewings, rove beetles and Stratiolaelaps scimitus mites as generalist predators, to patrol the grow space for whatever might try to attack your plants. They will eat most pests but won't eradicate pests, by themselves. Before introducing the predatory bugs, I like to introduce a bunch of springtails of different species. Once those are established, you can introduce your predatory bugs and they will be FAR more likely to stick around now that there is some food. You can also get a bag of pine pollen from a health food store and sprinkle that around the soil and lower leaves of your plants. Most predatory mites also eat pollen to subsidize their diets. It's best to use predatory bugs/mites PREVENTATIVELY. It takes a lot more bugs to stop an infestation that's already under way than it does to prevent one. Shoot me a message if you want me to help you figure out which bugs are best to use in your particular setup.
A local company sells Cryptolaemus Beetles that are not local but are claimed to be breed locally in a green house, can I trust that? Would that be a stoopid consideration because they’re not native? Been thinking about getting some 🤔
They are produced in the Middle East, but there is a permit to have them in North America. That means they are either also here (naturally) or have been extensively studied and shown to have no negative effects - which is likely the case since they prefer to eat (or only eat) mealybugs. So, not a bad idea to use them, if you need. However, I know commercial growers who don’t use them, because the cost is more than the cost of just throwing out a plant or removing the mealybugs by hand and with alcohol swabs.
I don’t really have a interest in biochemistry and all that as I’m a 20 year old musician but damn I leant some really cool facts today. Thank you, your way of getting your point across and info was just great
It is. And some still do. But when we evaluate bio-control agents, we look at efficiency. So, how well do they control aphids, and what is the cost to the end user. In our industry we have to ensure they work better than and are less expensive than chemical pesticides (or else few people will use them.) And while ladybugs are visible and are always associated with aphids, buying and applying Aphidoletes aphidimyza, hoverflies or parasitoids like Aphidius ervi, works better and eliminating aphids and costs less. Ladybugs wait for high levels of aphids to graze and then lay eggs. So they always leave some aphids. It is not the case of other commercialized predators.
@@gardeningwithbugs721 Let's assume there are no chemical pesticides, and we must depend on none chemical bio-control methods. What do you think? Then farmed ladybugs be a viable solution? I'm asking because Sri Lanka banned the import of chemical pesticides (and fertilizer) last year, and now the country doesn't have money to buy chemical pesticides either. So now they are forced to farm with bugs. Very little choice they have. The first thing I noticed was farmers immediately reached for "remedies," not to scientific methods but to remedies, and they went to youtube. Your channel is the only channel I found that explains this topic scientifically, and unfortunately, it has not reached the level it should be. A theoretical and practical question, what would you do if there were no chemical pesticides? Maybe make a video about it?
@@SamJay7 Hi. Thanks. I am sorry I missed your reply. Sadly, we (globally) have forgotten that we used to control pests without chemicals. It was really only after the world wars and advancements in chemical warfare that many chemical pesticides were developed. More recently, some growers as early at the 60's had simply decided to grow "organic" or "natural" and they became the basis for returning to bio-control as a commercial venture. Fast forward a little later, and chemical resistance had taken over as the greatest motivation for bio-control, and now it is likely environmental concerns and government prohibitions. So, it'll take some time to get back to a complete understanding and confidence in bio control. However, for those who currently control pests without any chemical inputs, their success depends on what pests they are dealing with and what is available in nature. It's a huge topic, and I'd love to try and tackle it in a video. Thanks for the suggestion. For interests' sake, I'll give you a scenario: Kansas State University examined the effectiveness of controlling aphids in sorghum simply by growing winter wheat adjacent to the sorghum. With no chemical inputs (and buying no beneficial insects either) they were able to grow aphids on wheat to attract the predators, and the predators would move into the sorghum when their food was diminished in the wheat. Aphids in wheat have no commercial detriment because they are gone before the flowering shoot comes up, and so this method of "conservational biocontrol" was the only method needed for a chemical free crop.
What we have been invaded by where I live is a not-so-nice Asian lady beetle that looks basically like a ladybug but it bites. I've been wondering if these might have been brought in by unsuspecting people who thought they were buying beneficial ladybugs.
Not likely. Insects are not permitted to cross borders without special permits. There are long-term studies to ensure an insect can be released elsewhere when they are commercially produced. When they are collected from the wild, it falls under a different jurisdiction and is much looser. Unfortunately almost all invasive come in on plant material. They are screened for bugs, but you never find them all.
Thanks for the info. I know a friend who moved here from Iowa calls them "soy bugs." So the assumption must be that they came in from Asia with some soybeans.
Those beetles LOOK so much like our lady bugs, though, I guess I was wondering if some of them could have been gathered & distributed by whoever collects & sells ladybugs.
Thanks! Yeah, it’s incredible how little made it to household-information. Remarkably, it works the other way too. I saw a presentation this year about a large farmer-based decision not to implement a classical biocontrol because they believe that the introduced Ladybug was a government mistake. So there is a dislike of the ladybug in the US Midwest, due to the misbelief that they cause plant damage. There is no end to it, really!
I didn’t notice until about a week ago that aphids were taking over my cucumbers then my watermelon and then cantaloupe. I took down one area of my cucumbers then I was going to the next and noticed lady bug larva crawling around. My aphid far exceeded keeping my cucumbers but I left one cucumber for the lady’s to munch. There is a fine line in letting aphids run a muck or letting lady’s eat. I don’t use sprays unless it’s soap and water. I tried pulling off as many leaves that had the most aphids but they are still taking over the rest of my garden eeeek !!
Many aphids can’t spread from plant to plant. It is always worth leaving aphids on a plant if you can sacrifice it. (Not indoors, however). Predators are slower…that’s just how it works. By late summer the aphids slow down but the predators are in full swing. Sometimes the balance is only achieved the next year. Soaps are the main ingredients in most chemical pesticides and the severely affect some plants natural defenses. Always use water to blast off aphids when you think it can help. If aphids are going to ruin the growing tips of cucumbers early in a growing season, chemicals are sometimes the best solution - but then the plants are toxic and whitefly, thrips and spidermite will seek shelter there since no predators will go near it.
I bought some lab grown ladybug eggs, but it didn't work. Quiet expensive for a non solution.I found out that the ants who aid the Aphid population also kill all kind of other bugs that eat their aphid herd...Luckily i have only a little rooftop garden in the city.
Sometimes those gardens are most difficult because natural cover for beneficials is hard to come by. Yes, controlling ants is always the first step in aphid management. It’s not just ladybugs they’ll kill.
Hello David, I really enjoyed your video! Thanks! Could you please make a video on how we can help the ladybugs we already have naturally in our gardens in the fight vs aphids specially when we also have tons of ants that protect them? Thanks in advance!
@@gardeningwithbugs721yes, thats why u plant alot of stuff ... it keeps the aphids around... also not killing ants helps with aphids, ants own lots of aphids and farm them for their sugary juices they excrete... ive created a nice ecosystem in my yard ... my favorite garden protectors are my jumping spiders and my praying Mathis ladybugs along with my local birds...
The presence of Lady's on the wing today are signs of migration but if they are made at home in a hospitable green house will they keep traveling anyway?
Some have and there are a few who still do. But they are expensive to produce and so other predators that eat more aphids and reproduce faster are produced instead. Ladybugs can need 8 weeks to reproduce and each can eat hundreds of aphids. Aphidoletes each eat hundreds of aphids but can reproduce as quickly as 3 weeks.
I wish I could send someone pictures, so they could tell me if these are all just spider webs or spider mite webs. I'm over here Googling my life away and spending money I don't have on all sorts of "I doubt this will even work"... But these webs are all over the outside of my house and outdoor plants, and I just found spider mites on my indoor plants. Idk what to do, and I dont want to keep making all these concoctions when I dont even know what I'm actually spraying. It sucks. I'm for real starting to lose my mind and Google sucks
@@niyablake you should try to ID the species. Sometimes colour and number of spots is enough to make an ID. Then you’ll have a better idea of what is going on there.
Btw would you mind creating a vid about differentiate useful bugs and its larvae looks? I cant tell which ones is hoverfly larva vs catterpillar larva as they look similar.. Larva is hard to tell
I want to avoid buying new predators all the time. Are there any useful bugs against shield lice (i hope that's the correct translation) and aphids that I can raise myself?
Hi. I'm unsure about Shield Lice. Rearing beneficial insects is not easy. Well, parts of it are, but contaminations and disease are common when you create dense populations of anything. While many try, it is almost always more cost-effective just to buy them. However, don't rule out attracting natural ones. Ironically, the easiest way to attract aphid predators is to try to keep aphids in your yard. I use the example of growing Hops (which may or may not be relevant to where you live). But hops attract a hop aphid which cannot infect other plant species. So buy promoting their existence in your yard, you will bring aphid predators, who will look for other aphids around your garden as well. These aphids that are specific to one plant or one family are plentiful. Lupins have a lupin aphid. Lindens have a linden aphid, brassicas have a cabbage aphid. And if the idea of encouraging aphids doesn't sit well with you, then plants like Alyssum or buckwheat are great for attracting small wasps and flies, both of which can be aphid predators.
@@gardeningwithbugs721 thanks for the suggestions. We run a foodtech business, and would like to be able to supply beneficial insects to the farms we help create. For this purpose it would be great if we could raise them ourselves. It could even be worth a substantial investment. So far we don't know what to invest in. Our thoughts were on ladybugs, but that didn't seem to be a very good idea.
I didn't plan on buying ladybugs but there is a serious lack of them in my area and I need a natural predator for the white little cochineal that absolutely destroys my guava and mango tree. I'm planting a persian lime tree on the side and so far the only effective control is to use chemicals, which I absolutely HATE to do. This year I'm planning to move away from chemicals and only use natural fertilizers and nature-friendly pest control. Ladybugs are the best way to eliminate cochineals (we call them 'cochinillos', or little pigs) but they are so hard to find in my area.
It’s hard to answer that because the internet has really complicated what is an Asian Lady Beetle. All “ladybugs,” lady beetles” and “ladybirds,” are coccinellid beetles. (Rounded backs.) almost all coccinellids eat either other insects or mildews and other fungi. There are a few that eat plants. Most references to the Asian lady beetle are referring to Harmonia axyridis. This species is foreign to North America. It is from Asia but has ended up all over much of the world. It eats aphids and some other soft bodied pests. Because of that, it is “good.” But there is discussion that since it is introduced, it is out-competing native ladybugs. However, many researchers in the US have mapped them and found that they are abundant in grassy, cropped areas, whereas many of the declining native ones are abundant near forests. So it believed that the reduction in forest habitat is more to blame for a decline in native ones. Furthermore, Axyridis hibernates anywhere it feels protected. So many of them find them in or on the outside of the house and this qualifies them as “pests.” From a garden point of view: they need a huge amount of aphids to reproduce. So if you see one, it is just passing by. If you see many, their larvae, and pupae, then they are eating a lot of aphids in your yard. So, regardless of which ladybugs aren’t there anymore, these ones are extremely helpful.
Never bought any living pest control (except bacteria), there are plenty of ladybugs around naturally. Just tell me how not to kill them (or any other beneficials) when I spray the yard to get rid of ticks. I worry, and I'd rather not spray, but I have two cats and a dog and it's been a tick bonanza lately. Lime disease is no joke, I can't just leave the ticks. What can I do that'll do the least harm to beneficials?
There isn’t much guidance in using chemical sprays against pests in their natural environment. But I understand the issue. Here is the official publication from the government of Canada which provides useful information. www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/diseases/lyme-disease/prevention-lyme-disease.html Usually if governments have to control a pest in a natural environment they have to look at chemistry that infects only the target pest. If you just take a pesticide and spray it, the beneficials don’t stand a chance. I’ve heard rumours of a Lyme vaccine in late trial stages. Fingers-crossed it’ll work out.
in your house!? I love your acceptance to live with bugs! Don't worry, millions are released each year, and demand for them is increasing, so your release will not have a measurable impact. I'd recommend Brown Lacewing eggs (Canada or Europe) to put directly into aphid colonies in a house, or green lacewing eggs (US, Canada, Europe). They will hatch and stay-put to feed.
Thanks for watching! Aphidoletes aphidimyza is the main one. Its common name is "Aphidoletes" (aphid-o-leetees) Also very popular are different species of Aphidius, but they are specific to some types of aphids. Eupeodes americanus is the hoverfly Micromus variegatus is the brown lacewing. Green lacewings are also very popular, but the adults don't eat pests.
I can't really do that because it is different depending on where you are. It might not even be available in your country. Plus I try not to favour any certain company, so that there is no bias. A general search online should come up with the companies to buy from.
You are absolutely right! Ladybugs aren't even that good at controlling aphids. A. aphidimyza are so effective that it makes me question how they haven't made aphids extinct already! Within 4-5 days of releasing them in my garden, I couldn't find 1 live aphid. And my dill was COVERED in aphids! These things are the best
Misleading title. It's good that you are raising awareness about wild-harvested ladybugs, but that means that if someone wants to buy ladybugs then they should buy lab-grown ladybugs rather than NEVER buy ladybugs.
...but also that they shouldn't buy lab-grown ones, because there are aphid bio-control agents that are used commercially that perform much better and cost much less, hence the "never." But you're right, if someone wants them, then I suggest getting ones that don't interfere with our environment.
Here's the source and one of the relevant sections: biocontrol.entomology.cornell.edu/predators/Hippodamia.php "Commercial insectaries distribute beetles that have been "harvested" from natural winter aggregation sites. If lady beetles are collected in this dormant state and transported for field release, even among aphid infestations, they usually migrate before feeding and laying eggs. This migratory behavior before feeding is obligatory. Releases of such "harvested" convergent lady beetles could be a waste of time, money, and beetles. Insectaries may feed the adult beetles a special diet after they have been collected to minimize their migratory behavior. Only such preconditioned beetles should be purchased. Additionally, these harvested beetles may be parasitized."
I just bought ladybugs before seeing this video. I guess it'll be okay this one time, and I can see how it goes, but you've sold me on trying out Aphidoletes aphidomyza next year! I subscribed - I'm excited to learn more about using bugs in the garden. There's a lot of general gardening advice on UA-cam, but I appreciate seeing this more ecologically-minded approach you're sharing here. Thanks for teaching me!
Thank you so much! That’s exactly what I’m hoping for. You’ve made my day!
You can talk about native ladybugs all you want.
There ARE NO LADYBUGS in my area. So now what???
Just found your channel after watching MiGardener tout the benefits of buying ladybugs. I once released purchased ladybugs inside for my tropicals that must overwinter inside my home. I used to get masses of local ladybugs to come inside every year but the stink bugs have taken over! I HATE stink bugs much less inside my home. The ones I bought took care of the aphid infestation but never reproduced as the local ones did. I plan to check out the alternative you suggested. I love to invite predators to my nonchemical garden with many umbrel blooms to entice them! Thank you for encouraging gardeners to use nature for our pest solutions! Subscribed!
Thank you. And great observations about the reproduction.
Amazing video! A few weeks back, I had a shrub infested with aphids and honeydew secreted all over the bottom leaves. It looked bad but was a paradise for ladybugs and hoverflies. I saw various species of adult ladybugs (seven spot, convergent, asian ladybug, and this small one without any spots). The last one I have yet to find the species name. Ladybug larvae and hoverfly larvae also claimed their feasts. Now the shrub has been cleaned and only stray pupa wait to emerge.
That’s excellent! And now that next generation of predators will be looking for more. Even if your yard is free of aphids, you did your neighbours a favour!
@@gardeningwithbugs721 Sure did! I had the aphids focused on one target while they became their predators' target.
Just subscribed and thank you. My 12 yr old son is helping an older couple in the neighborhood with their aphid problem which is all over the Kale. He is a young aspiring Gardner himself. His suggestion was a ladybug release but with below freezing temps coming decided against it. He was going to do a neem oil spray to depopulate them and then do a ladybug release in the spring, however I am going to have him watch this video with me and consider the aphidimyza alternative. Considering the temps would you have any advice - and what additional "educational" opportunities could I provide him. He generally, right or wrong, learns from UA-cam.
Thanks so much for sharing! I have never been an advocate of buying ladybugs. I tried it once when I was younger and my mom bought a bag and they didn’t even stick around 24 hours even though I I’d everything recommended to do. I had tons of aphids and they didn’t make a dent. Now I just let the ladybugs come naturally.
Thanks for watching! It is much better watching the native ones show up. Sometimes if a released biocontrol flies away, it isn’t going far. But when they have to migrate, you know they are gone.
@@gardeningwithbugs721 what kind of bugs can I buy to kill squash Vine bore eggs please if you know thanks in advance.
@@jasonclayton936 You're better off only growing squash vine bore resistant varieties of plants. Google them. This year that's what I'm doing. Growing honeynut squash and rampicante
Do the suggested bugs work on thrips for house plants?
I have 3 plants that keep getting meallybugs on them. My other plants near by never get them. I keep my plants in a screened patio. What sould I use then if Ladybugs are just going to starve to death in my patio?
Soapy water
I am prepping for pest control and irrigation management this year trying to learn as much as possible. Thank you for sharing!
Good luck, and enjoy. Feel free to send me questions if you need.
At 8:40 how do you spell that, that you’re recommending to get for aphids?
Hi. Aphidoletes aphidimyza is the aphid predator.
@@gardeningwithbugs721how do we get those?
I do gardening in pots on my balcony, so it's a very small garden and when I get the aphids invasion, I use to go out and walk around, checking under the local trees leaves to find ladybug larvae.
I pick one or two depending on how many plants are infested and I place them on my plants, they do the job and they get paid with aphids to eat. (If you do that, keep an eye on the aphid population and if the aphids are all gone, you can take the larvae and place it back on the exact same tree you found it on to maximize it's chances to survive).
Keeping in mind that if there are ants, they will attack the ladybug larvae so if you have aphids + ants, you want to get rid of the ants first (Diatomaceous earth could work, or traps etc)
This is also the reason you want to release the larvae on the same tree in case you release them, as releasing them on another tree infested with aphid (but also infested with ants) would probably mean a lot of struggle for them and potentially death.
Yes, moving beneficials from a natural place to a place where you want them is the oldest form of bio-control and was being practiced likely long before we have written record.
anyway to deal with squash bugs?
Thanks for the knowledge I would have just bought ladybugs for my cannibis garden
Do you have a link where I can buy some Lowe’s things you recommended instead of the ladybugs. Because I have no clue how to try to spell that
Hi. In Canada: thebuglady.ca. In the US, evergreengrowerssupply.com
Thank you for the breakdown on this topic; its important
Thank you. Glad you agree that it’s important.
Is it still wrong to spray when applying Korean Natural Farming ( KNF) method ( JADAM ) to reduce Aphid infestation.
Would a Concoction of Garlic, Chilli and Castile Soap harm the Ladybugs.
Hi John. Thanks for commenting.
For the first question, yes. My understanding of the Korean method and of Jadam, in principle, is that the goal is to create a complete and incredibly dense populous of micro-organisms. Most pesticides and certainly all soaps, acids or bases will have a detrimental effect on the success of those methods. As for the idea that JADAM can be used as a pesticide: there is little scientific evidence. There is evidence and the practice of applying beneficial fungi (B. Bassianna) to plant tissues a to kill pests. I’m sure applying a cocktail might have an effect against pests, but I’m unsure it wouldn’t have other non-target affects that are less desirable.
For the second question: also yes. The Soap will kill anything. Soaps are the basis of most chemical pesticides. They work well, but are non-selective.. meaning they kill everything. Garlic and chili is also a pesticide. Although natural, it contains both oils and acids which will kill invertebrates and scare away others. But, what we don’t see is those harm plant tissues as well.
@@gardeningwithbugs721 WOW !
That answer blew me away. I garden as naturally as possible and I’ve been experimenting with the KNF and following vloggers who say it’s organic.
And they do densely diversify their gardens .
Maybe it’s that what’s helping them produce good crops.
Not all the JADAM is harsh.
You mention using inoculating fungi to ward off the bad bugs.
Would that be using compost teas to boost the plants defence system. If so , these are KNF practices.
@@johnwilton3496 yes, Jadam shares a method of inoculating leaf surfaces, but the principles are different. The fungi is found in the soil, isolated and grown in high numbers then applied to the leaf. It does not affect plants, it is a fungi that kills invertebrates. But JADAM and all compost teas has the idea that loads of microorganism provide protection. There isn’t much data to support it, but anything that costs the leaves (and doesn’t hurt the plant) is occupying space for pathogens. What there is proof of, is that the dense and diverse microorganism in the soil promote plant growth and nutrition. And a healthy plant can fight off most pests by themselves. So, that is likely where the success comes from.
@@gardeningwithbugs721 . What about the Soil Food Web work of Elaine Ingram .
She’s been studying Soil for 40 years.
Compost teas can feed the Fungi in the soil which causes an increase in the microbial population.
I got some a few years ago and the first thing they did was start mating with the ones i already had which do look slightly different.
Chances are they were "trying to mate." If they look different, they are likely a different species (and therefore can't reproduce with one another.) But there are also many different forms within ladybug species.
Omg, thank you so much for making this info!
Is this the same in Australia ?
Sorry I missed this. I doubt this is the same in Australia. In North America we sell the 'convergent ladybeetle.' It is native to North America. If you do have a native one collected and sold in the same manner, then it might have the same negative results. Luckily Australia is very closed off and careful with invasive species and you have world-renowned entomologist to manage such things.
Thank you very much for this video. I have purchased lady bugs before but, thanks to the information you provided, I won’t. What is a good predator for red spider mites?
Thanks for watching! Red spider mites are easily controlled by Stethorus punctillum or Neosieulus fallacis. How you use them and the rates would depend on the plant and environment.
Thank you! Our hops tend to get them…
I worked closely with the Hope Bay Hop Farm. They didn’t have red mites, but there were big fans of Aphidoletes for aphid control. For hops we start with fallacis as an early season application with rates as low as 2 mites per square meter. Otherwise, once the bines are on the wire it’s tough to get some mites up there. I also grow several hops and used the new guy Anystis baccarum (The Crazee Mite) and they seemed to love the hops.
@@gardeningwithbugs721 What kind of insect will eat squash Vine bore eggs.
I use ladybugs for my cannabis grows. My pests are spider mites, white flies, and thrips.
What alternative to ladybugs would you recommend?
This is for an indoor grow setup. And honestly, I don't mind finding random ladybugs around the house.
There are different options depending on what country you live in. The commercial standard is Aphidoletes aphidimyza. It's a predatory midge. Not as cute as ladybugs wandering around, but pretty devastating against aphids indoors especially. ua-cam.com/video/J1qGsl80Zzo/v-deo.html This video talks about them outdoors, but indoors is easier. You just need to have your fan speed reduced or turned off when you release them. (That actually makes ladybugs more effective too. They need to smell the aphids and fly to them, but won't with wind speeds over 2 mph).
Anystis Baccarum or Fallacis mie lady bugs are uesless.
Thanks for the question. What a great bloke answering your important question my friend !
For spider mites: Stethorus punctillum, Neoseiulus californicus&fallacis, Phytoseiulus persimilis. First one is a small ladybug and the others are mites.
For white flies: Delphastus catalinae and Encarsa formosa. Another ladybug and a tiny parasitic wasp, respectively.
For thrips: Neoseiulus cucumeris and Anystis baccarum. N cucumeris are specific predators of thrips. They will find eggs laid inside plant tissue (as thrips do) and wait to bite the heads off the thrips larvae as they emerge. Anystis baccarum will just straight up murder anything it comes in contact with. They are insane.
You can also introduce some lacewings, rove beetles and Stratiolaelaps scimitus mites as generalist predators, to patrol the grow space for whatever might try to attack your plants. They will eat most pests but won't eradicate pests, by themselves.
Before introducing the predatory bugs, I like to introduce a bunch of springtails of different species. Once those are established, you can introduce your predatory bugs and they will be FAR more likely to stick around now that there is some food. You can also get a bag of pine pollen from a health food store and sprinkle that around the soil and lower leaves of your plants. Most predatory mites also eat pollen to subsidize their diets.
It's best to use predatory bugs/mites PREVENTATIVELY. It takes a lot more bugs to stop an infestation that's already under way than it does to prevent one.
Shoot me a message if you want me to help you figure out which bugs are best to use in your particular setup.
A local company sells Cryptolaemus Beetles that are not local but are claimed to be breed locally in a green house, can I trust that? Would that be a stoopid consideration because they’re not native? Been thinking about getting some 🤔
They are produced in the Middle East, but there is a permit to have them in North America. That means they are either also here (naturally) or have been extensively studied and shown to have no negative effects - which is likely the case since they prefer to eat (or only eat) mealybugs. So, not a bad idea to use them, if you need. However, I know commercial growers who don’t use them, because the cost is more than the cost of just throwing out a plant or removing the mealybugs by hand and with alcohol swabs.
Wait, you can buy Ladybugs?
They just come to my garden naturally. I didn't know people went out and bought them.
You’re ahead of the game then! Ironically when people DO buy them, sometimes what they are seeing is the native ones showing up anyways.
Indoor cannabis growers keep that market alive. Ask me how I know
Great video and information I wasn’t aware of.
I mean there are companies that breed endangered species though
I don’t really have a interest in biochemistry and all that as I’m a 20 year old musician but damn I leant some really cool facts today. Thank you, your way of getting your point across and info was just great
Thank you. I appreciate the feedback. haha and it doesn't matter your profession, insects are always interesting!
Is it not possible to grow ladybugs commercially?
It is. And some still do. But when we evaluate bio-control agents, we look at efficiency. So, how well do they control aphids, and what is the cost to the end user. In our industry we have to ensure they work better than and are less expensive than chemical pesticides (or else few people will use them.) And while ladybugs are visible and are always associated with aphids, buying and applying Aphidoletes aphidimyza, hoverflies or parasitoids like Aphidius ervi, works better and eliminating aphids and costs less. Ladybugs wait for high levels of aphids to graze and then lay eggs. So they always leave some aphids. It is not the case of other commercialized predators.
@@gardeningwithbugs721 Let's assume there are no chemical pesticides, and we must depend on none chemical bio-control methods. What do you think? Then farmed ladybugs be a viable solution?
I'm asking because Sri Lanka banned the import of chemical pesticides (and fertilizer) last year, and now the country doesn't have money to buy chemical pesticides either. So now they are forced to farm with bugs. Very little choice they have. The first thing I noticed was farmers immediately reached for "remedies," not to scientific methods but to remedies, and they went to youtube. Your channel is the only channel I found that explains this topic scientifically, and unfortunately, it has not reached the level it should be.
A theoretical and practical question, what would you do if there were no chemical pesticides? Maybe make a video about it?
@@SamJay7 Hi. Thanks. I am sorry I missed your reply.
Sadly, we (globally) have forgotten that we used to control pests without chemicals. It was really only after the world wars and advancements in chemical warfare that many chemical pesticides were developed.
More recently, some growers as early at the 60's had simply decided to grow "organic" or "natural" and they became the basis for returning to bio-control as a commercial venture.
Fast forward a little later, and chemical resistance had taken over as the greatest motivation for bio-control, and now it is likely environmental concerns and government prohibitions.
So, it'll take some time to get back to a complete understanding and confidence in bio control. However, for those who currently control pests without any chemical inputs, their success depends on what pests they are dealing with and what is available in nature.
It's a huge topic, and I'd love to try and tackle it in a video. Thanks for the suggestion.
For interests' sake, I'll give you a scenario: Kansas State University examined the effectiveness of controlling aphids in sorghum simply by growing winter wheat adjacent to the sorghum. With no chemical inputs (and buying no beneficial insects either) they were able to grow aphids on wheat to attract the predators, and the predators would move into the sorghum when their food was diminished in the wheat. Aphids in wheat have no commercial detriment because they are gone before the flowering shoot comes up, and so this method of "conservational biocontrol" was the only method needed for a chemical free crop.
What we have been invaded by where I live is a not-so-nice Asian lady beetle that looks basically like a ladybug but it bites. I've been wondering if these might have been brought in by unsuspecting people who thought they were buying beneficial ladybugs.
Not likely. Insects are not permitted to cross borders without special permits. There are long-term studies to ensure an insect can be released elsewhere when they are commercially produced. When they are collected from the wild, it falls under a different jurisdiction and is much looser.
Unfortunately almost all invasive come in on plant material. They are screened for bugs, but you never find them all.
Thanks for the info. I know a friend who moved here from Iowa calls them "soy bugs." So the assumption must be that they came in from Asia with some soybeans.
Those beetles LOOK so much like our lady bugs, though, I guess I was wondering if some of them could have been gathered & distributed by whoever collects & sells ladybugs.
@@lauriemclean1131 could be that more than one species was accidentally collected. But typically the collected ones are hipodamia covergens.
Ladybugs bite. Full stop.
Great video! Perfect shirt for it too haha
Haha thanks.
Really enjoyed this..loved your bio and your family is beautful!! Gave me a lot of research to view.
Thanks! Yeah, it’s incredible how little made it to household-information.
Remarkably, it works the other way too. I saw a presentation this year about a large farmer-based decision not to implement a classical biocontrol because they believe that the introduced Ladybug was a government mistake. So there is a dislike of the ladybug in the US Midwest, due to the misbelief that they cause plant damage. There is no end to it, really!
I release ladybugs in my garden but I always keep some in my garage. I feed them with honey, water and raisins. My son loves them as pets.
That's a good idea. Plus the Cornell study suggested that feeding them and holding them prior to release can reduce their need to migrate back home.
I didn’t notice until about a week ago that aphids were taking over my cucumbers then my watermelon and then cantaloupe. I took down one area of my cucumbers then I was going to the next and noticed lady bug larva crawling around. My aphid far exceeded keeping my cucumbers but I left one cucumber for the lady’s to munch. There is a fine line in letting aphids run a muck or letting lady’s eat. I don’t use sprays unless it’s soap and water. I tried pulling off as many leaves that had the most aphids but they are still taking over the rest of my garden eeeek !!
Many aphids can’t spread from plant to plant. It is always worth leaving aphids on a plant if you can sacrifice it. (Not indoors, however). Predators are slower…that’s just how it works. By late summer the aphids slow down but the predators are in full swing. Sometimes the balance is only achieved the next year. Soaps are the main ingredients in most chemical pesticides and the severely affect some plants natural defenses. Always use water to blast off aphids when you think it can help. If aphids are going to ruin the growing tips of cucumbers early in a growing season, chemicals are sometimes the best solution - but then the plants are toxic and whitefly, thrips and spidermite will seek shelter there since no predators will go near it.
I bought some lab grown ladybug eggs, but it didn't work. Quiet expensive for a non solution.I found out that the ants who aid the Aphid population also kill all kind of other bugs that eat their aphid herd...Luckily i have only a little rooftop garden in the city.
Sometimes those gardens are most difficult because natural cover for beneficials is hard to come by. Yes, controlling ants is always the first step in aphid management. It’s not just ladybugs they’ll kill.
Hello David, I really enjoyed your video! Thanks! Could you please make a video on how we can help the ladybugs we already have naturally in our gardens in the fight vs aphids specially when we also have tons of ants that protect them?
Thanks in advance!
Want free lady bugs just plant the stuff they like and a good amount of it... want to keep them around you gotta make a home for them ...
More important is to allow aphids to establish for them.
@@gardeningwithbugs721yes, thats why u plant alot of stuff ... it keeps the aphids around... also not killing ants helps with aphids, ants own lots of aphids and farm them for their sugary juices they excrete... ive created a nice ecosystem in my yard ... my favorite garden protectors are my jumping spiders and my praying Mathis ladybugs along with my local birds...
The presence of Lady's on the wing today are signs of migration but if they are made at home in a hospitable green house will they keep traveling anyway?
Why aren’t ladybugs lab grown and controlled to avoid a parasites?
Some have and there are a few who still do. But they are expensive to produce and so other predators that eat more aphids and reproduce faster are produced instead. Ladybugs can need 8 weeks to reproduce and each can eat hundreds of aphids. Aphidoletes each eat hundreds of aphids but can reproduce as quickly as 3 weeks.
Anystis Baccarum if you have aphids expensive but amazing.
Heck yeah!
I wish I could send someone pictures, so they could tell me if these are all just spider webs or spider mite webs. I'm over here Googling my life away and spending money I don't have on all sorts of "I doubt this will even work"... But these webs are all over the outside of my house and outdoor plants, and I just found spider mites on my indoor plants. Idk what to do, and I dont want to keep making all these concoctions when I dont even know what I'm actually spraying. It sucks. I'm for real starting to lose my mind and Google sucks
what’s interesting is that you looked at that spider (coral, peach, fuchsia) and called it “ugly” … 😳 😳 🕷
Haha I wish I could help that reaction! (A very cool spider, I admit.)
I got 450 ladybugs and they all flew away
I’m sorry it went that way. I hope some native predators show up for you.
Appreciated the information.
Thank you! Glad I can help.
This year I've had an explosion of lady bugs in march
You’re lucky! That’s early.
@@gardeningwithbugs721 It's odd but it's happening in the SF bay area. I was kind of worried about my roses
@@niyablake you should try to ID the species. Sometimes colour and number of spots is enough to make an ID. Then you’ll have a better idea of what is going on there.
Great content thanks so much!
Come to my house in the fall and I’ll get you as many as you need.
Thanks. I too have plenty.
Btw would you mind creating a vid about differentiate useful bugs and its larvae looks? I cant tell which ones is hoverfly larva vs catterpillar larva as they look similar.. Larva is hard to tell
I would love to do that, and I will. It’s just a matter of getting all the appropriate footage.
Thanks for this video. I'm glad I saw it, cause I was literally JUST about to order some ladies.
I want to avoid buying new predators all the time. Are there any useful bugs against shield lice (i hope that's the correct translation) and aphids that I can raise myself?
Hi. I'm unsure about Shield Lice. Rearing beneficial insects is not easy. Well, parts of it are, but contaminations and disease are common when you create dense populations of anything. While many try, it is almost always more cost-effective just to buy them. However, don't rule out attracting natural ones. Ironically, the easiest way to attract aphid predators is to try to keep aphids in your yard. I use the example of growing Hops (which may or may not be relevant to where you live). But hops attract a hop aphid which cannot infect other plant species. So buy promoting their existence in your yard, you will bring aphid predators, who will look for other aphids around your garden as well. These aphids that are specific to one plant or one family are plentiful. Lupins have a lupin aphid. Lindens have a linden aphid, brassicas have a cabbage aphid.
And if the idea of encouraging aphids doesn't sit well with you, then plants like Alyssum or buckwheat are great for attracting small wasps and flies, both of which can be aphid predators.
@@gardeningwithbugs721 thanks for the suggestions. We run a foodtech business, and would like to be able to supply beneficial insects to the farms we help create. For this purpose it would be great if we could raise them ourselves. It could even be worth a substantial investment. So far we don't know what to invest in. Our thoughts were on ladybugs, but that didn't seem to be a very good idea.
Tnx for the info
You're welcome. Thanks for watching.
Good information
Thank you.
I didn't plan on buying ladybugs but there is a serious lack of them in my area and I need a natural predator for the white little cochineal that absolutely destroys my guava and mango tree. I'm planting a persian lime tree on the side and so far the only effective control is to use chemicals, which I absolutely HATE to do. This year I'm planning to move away from chemicals and only use natural fertilizers and nature-friendly pest control. Ladybugs are the best way to eliminate cochineals (we call them 'cochinillos', or little pigs) but they are so hard to find in my area.
I wish you luck. I’m sorry, I know very little about this pest.
Are Asian lady beetles bad for the garden?
It’s hard to answer that because the internet has really complicated what is an Asian Lady Beetle.
All “ladybugs,” lady beetles” and “ladybirds,” are coccinellid beetles. (Rounded backs.) almost all coccinellids eat either other insects or mildews and other fungi. There are a few that eat plants.
Most references to the Asian lady beetle are referring to Harmonia axyridis. This species is foreign to North America. It is from Asia but has ended up all over much of the world. It eats aphids and some other soft bodied pests. Because of that, it is “good.” But there is discussion that since it is introduced, it is out-competing native ladybugs. However, many researchers in the US have mapped them and found that they are abundant in grassy, cropped areas, whereas many of the declining native ones are abundant near forests. So it believed that the reduction in forest habitat is more to blame for a decline in native ones.
Furthermore, Axyridis hibernates anywhere it feels protected. So many of them find them in or on the outside of the house and this qualifies them as “pests.”
From a garden point of view: they need a huge amount of aphids to reproduce. So if you see one, it is just passing by. If you see many, their larvae, and pupae, then they are eating a lot of aphids in your yard. So, regardless of which ladybugs aren’t there anymore, these ones are extremely helpful.
Never bought any living pest control (except bacteria), there are plenty of ladybugs around naturally. Just tell me how not to kill them (or any other beneficials) when I spray the yard to get rid of ticks.
I worry, and I'd rather not spray, but I have two cats and a dog and it's been a tick bonanza lately. Lime disease is no joke, I can't just leave the ticks. What can I do that'll do the least harm to beneficials?
There isn’t much guidance in using chemical sprays against pests in their natural environment. But I understand the issue. Here is the official publication from the government of Canada which provides useful information.
www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/diseases/lyme-disease/prevention-lyme-disease.html
Usually if governments have to control a pest in a natural environment they have to look at chemistry that infects only the target pest. If you just take a pesticide and spray it, the beneficials don’t stand a chance.
I’ve heard rumours of a Lyme vaccine in late trial stages. Fingers-crossed it’ll work out.
Wow I just bought some to get rid of aphids in my house and greenhouse 🥺
in your house!? I love your acceptance to live with bugs! Don't worry, millions are released each year, and demand for them is increasing, so your release will not have a measurable impact.
I'd recommend Brown Lacewing eggs (Canada or Europe) to put directly into aphid colonies in a house, or green lacewing eggs (US, Canada, Europe). They will hatch and stay-put to feed.
Great info. I will never buy ladybugs 🐞 thank you 🥰
Sometimes you can find lab-reared ones. But yes, easiest to just attract them!
@@gardeningwithbugs721 thank you ☺️
Sorry, how do you spell the name of the bug your talking about to control aphids? The more beneficial one. Thank you.
Thanks for watching!
Aphidoletes aphidimyza is the main one. Its common name is "Aphidoletes" (aphid-o-leetees)
Also very popular are different species of Aphidius, but they are specific to some types of aphids.
Eupeodes americanus is the hoverfly
Micromus variegatus is the brown lacewing.
Green lacewings are also very popular, but the adults don't eat pests.
Aphidoletes aphidimyza you say?🤔
Indeed. Still the best (For Europe and North America, at least.)
You need to tell us wear to purchasez geez
I can't really do that because it is different depending on where you are. It might not even be available in your country. Plus I try not to favour any certain company, so that there is no bias. A general search online should come up with the companies to buy from.
@@gardeningwithbugs721 low key im pissed but next time put it in the video like you told me... Cause all the comments sounding the same
good info
Thanks!
Shame.. the ladybug found in my garden is the pest one who eat leaves..
That’s nasty. Later in the spring most of their parasitoids show up and start to control them.
Well I live I’m Colorado soooo I guess I’m good to go then lol
You’re probably right. Although I guess you don’t need to buy them, then: should be plenty!
@@gardeningwithbugs721 yeahhh but time is money.. and taking a day off to collect 20 ladybugs = $$$ vs order online $ 😂
interestingly a male bug is still called Lady Bug huh
haha yep. The Latin names - if they weren't hard to pronounce and harder to remember - are much better for identification.
Those deleted my clam😊
I enjoy replying to comments and questions, but I’m very sorry, I don’t know what you mean!
In usa ..maybe relevant .
Yes, this is written for Canada, US and Northern Mexico.
Matt Damon 😂
You are absolutely right! Ladybugs aren't even that good at controlling aphids.
A. aphidimyza are so effective that it makes me question how they haven't made aphids extinct already!
Within 4-5 days of releasing them in my garden, I couldn't find 1 live aphid. And my dill was COVERED in aphids!
These things are the best
Thanks! Yes, they are amazing!
Misleading title. It's good that you are raising awareness about wild-harvested ladybugs, but that means that if someone wants to buy ladybugs then they should buy lab-grown ladybugs rather than NEVER buy ladybugs.
...but also that they shouldn't buy lab-grown ones, because there are aphid bio-control agents that are used commercially that perform much better and cost much less, hence the "never." But you're right, if someone wants them, then I suggest getting ones that don't interfere with our environment.
Someone hit the bs button
Here's the source and one of the relevant sections: biocontrol.entomology.cornell.edu/predators/Hippodamia.php
"Commercial insectaries distribute beetles that have been "harvested" from natural winter aggregation sites. If lady beetles are collected in this dormant state and transported for field release, even among aphid infestations, they usually migrate before feeding and laying eggs. This migratory behavior before feeding is obligatory. Releases of such "harvested" convergent lady beetles could be a waste of time, money, and beetles. Insectaries may feed the adult beetles a special diet after they have been collected to minimize their migratory behavior. Only such preconditioned beetles should be purchased. Additionally, these harvested beetles may be parasitized."