Advertisement
If you have a new account but are having problems posting or verifying your account, please email us on hello@boards.ie for help. Thanks :)
Hello all! Please ensure that you are posting a new thread or question in the appropriate forum. The Feedback forum is overwhelmed with questions that are having to be moved elsewhere. If you need help to verify your account contact hello@boards.ie

Ladybirds everywhere!

Options
  • 29-07-2018 8:16pm
    #1
    Grawns
    Registered Users Posts: 2,169 ✭✭✭


    My story is I left some new raised beds (new garden, new build house, first summer) to go to weed and the bees loved them. I think it was mainly rape but anyway, loads of bees and hover flies cabbage butterflies etc. After the drought I've noticed loads of ladybirds. They're feasting. Meanwhile some of the new beds had been planted with green manure, lots of phacelia which has yet to bloom.

    My dilemma is when I weed the beds will I lose my ladybirds. That's where all there food is though I've seen some movement in the phacelia. Should I just leave it for the wildlife and hoe it in the autumn? Or can I hoe it when the phacelia blooms?

    The birds love these weedy beds too!


Comments

  • Options
    #2
    Grawns
    Registered Users Posts: 2,169 ✭✭✭Grawns


    Do I love weeds:confused:


  • Options
    #3
    Ms2011
    Registered Users Posts: 3,129 ✭✭✭Ms2011


    Ladybird are on the decline, if you have a haven for them I'd leave it alone.

    http://www.biology.ie/home.php?m=ladybirds2


  • Options
    #4
    Suckit
    Registered Users Posts: 11,211 ✭✭✭✭Suckit


    In France in June they were giving away larvae of ladybirds and lacewings to raise public awareness of organic gardening and the preservation of beneficial insects in the garden.

    https://www.sortiraparis.com/actualites/a-paris/articles/138637-des-larves-de-coccinelles-distribuees-aux-jardiniers-parisiens-amateurs

    Mainly in Paris, but they had it throughout France. They had many other similar type things too throughout spring.


    (I would definitely leave it alone.)


  • Options
    #5
    Grawns
    Registered Users Posts: 2,169 ✭✭✭Grawns


    That's what I want to do for now but eventually I'd like a compromise with nice native plants😁. I bought them a hotel ffs! You should see the weeds, they are in rags. I never gave those beds a drop of water but they were against a tall north facing wall. they've been shredded by caterpillars, beloved by the bees and now comes the ladybirds. I can hardly walk across the grass for fear of standing on them. I will mind them carefully :)


  • Options
    #6
    Stoner
    Registered Users Posts: 10,952 ✭✭✭✭Stoner


    Just on that, I've a few fruit bushes and ants seem to be looking after the greenfly, I know they do this, but there's a huge increase in ants IMO. Possibly all the cobblelock around.

    I wonder if they are also impacting on the ladybird's.

    I've ants minding greenfly on rosetrees and blackcurrant bushes

    Haven't seen a ladybird in my garden this year


  • Advertisement
Advertisement