With spring planting underway there are some major benefits to having bugs in your garden. That’s right you read it right, we said it is a good thing. Of course some insects are worse than others and some are better than others, however a good insect to have in your garden is the ladybug.
Ladybugs are small beetles that are about ¼ inch in length and are normally red or orange in color with black dots on their shells. Ladybugs can become a nuisance when they attempt to move indoors, however overall these bugs are good for your garden and the environment.
Here are three benefits to having ladybugs in your garden:
Reduce the insect population
Ladybugs are known predatory beetles that eat a very large amount of aphids. Aphids are plant lice and are bad news for your plants. However ladybugs can consume up to 5,000 aphids in their lifetime (about 30-40 a day).
Eliminate your use of pesticides
Since ladybugs eat many of the insects which cause damage to garden plants, a good population of ladybugs will make it unnecessary to use harmful pesticides. It can be a little difficult to get a large population to come to populate your garden but with a few at home gardening tricks (mixing wheat and yeast together and spraying on plants), will help attract lady bugs to your garden.
Make your garden BEAUTIFUL
Ladybugs are beautiful beetles. They are a gorgeous deep color that will add contrast and beauty to your garden. Ladybugs are a lot prettier to look at when compared to worms or slugs.
Sources: steamboattoday.com, (http://www.steamboattoday.com/news/2013/mar/17/deb-babcock-benefits-lady-bugs/)