Ladybirds - is a kit worth having?

[Rossa]

While looking at the Slug Bu66ers on greengardening.co.uk I noticed them selling a kit to breed/hatch your own ladybirds.

Is this worth while or just one of those way to get money out of naive gardeners like me. I've been given a bee house as a pressie which seems like a good idea until I tried to work out what to do with it (see my other thread) so now I'm more wary of these sorts of things.

Anyone out there use these sorts of things to encourage beneficial insects, apart from growing their favourite plants that is. Which reminds me, which plants/flowers do ladybirds like best?
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"..I went from adolescence to senility, trying to bypass maturity.." Tom Lehrer

[Victoria26]

Thats fantastic! I love ladybirds... I'm gonna have a look for this kit and have a go myself!!

[selfraising]

Me too, can't have enough ladybirds in the garden as they will eat the aphids!

[elizajay]

I'm also sceptical after my experience with the bumble bee nest.

[zazen999]

I find ladybirds love sunflowers....

[Plot17B]

Hi,
My rule of thumb is now; read the brochures, then see how these beastie houses are made in the garden centre, then drive back home, find some old wood or bits and pieces and make one yourself. More fun, cheaper and far more satisfying.

I've got some old tree trunk sections and have drilled gazillions of holes (diagonally upwards on the base and sides so the water does not pool in them). Also the bark has a good gap between it and the wood cortex. I've placed them on bricks on edges of the allotment beds and whenever I find a ladybird as I'm doing spring weeding, i pop him/her onto the logs for them to burrow in and feel safe/dry/warm/home. And we have lots of wildlife plants to encourage them too.

I'm hoping that this works, instead of the ladybird house I also have had for the last 5 years which still hasn't had any ladybirds make their home within. Wish me luck!
P17B

[Jenegade]

I don't see why it wouldn't work, is there a guarantee if the ladybird larvae don't grow to adults? The pop up breeding chamber does look like on of those pop up laundry baskets though!

[Victoria26]

The one I'm looking at says you get 50 larvae and you should get at least 30 ladybirds from that!