Lady Bugs to the Rescue!

Spring is here and with it the tender red shoots of the roses stretching into the sun...not far behind are the aphids. ICK. Nasty, gooey munching machines, the aphids have been trying to take over my front yard for the past few weeks.

I had been washing them off with a mixture of earth-friendly soap and water. Swishing the infected shoots in the soapy water every few days rewarded me with a bowl full of bugs and pest-free plants, but it was labor intensive and required me to get very personal with the aphids.

In come the lady bugs! To keep my flowers happy as well as the planet we planned an aphid genocide. Little Man and I picked out what appeared to be the very best tub of lady bugs and set the stage. Carefully watering the garden right before sunset we waited until dark to start the battle.

We dumped the lady bugs at the base of the roses and wished them luck. In the morning we were treated the lovely view above - lady bugs congregating on all the little shoots gorging themselves on the nasty little aphids. Success!!!

Not only will the ladies help the pests, they have proven to be quite the interesting science lesson. Discussions of the food chain, parasitic relationships, unintended consequences of chemical uses, and other interesting topics have risen for discussion. Can't believe that at one time I might have used some chem! This is much more fun and a much better choice for Mom-Earth.