lady bugs

[super trowel]

Hello everyone!

At the moment I have loads of ladybugs on my plot.
I understand they like and need these flowers......
dill,
cilantro,
yarrow,
wild carrot,
angelica,
cosmos,
geraniums
dandelions.

But my plot is covered in marigolds.
Can anyone tell me if this will deter the lady bugs too?
As I would love for them to hang around

Best wishes!

[Two_Sheds]

I was up there this afternoon collecting ladybirds to put in my gh. I got 22. They were all over everything, busy making babies

They're now feasting on the greenfly in my gh

[GardenFaery]

No, planting Marigolds will attract ladybirds ( and also hoverfly too which can also be useful)

[Nicos]

I've only seen 2 so far this year.

Thanks for the list super trowel!

[super trowel]

Oh, brilliant!

And I suppose you can add marigolds as well now

[Two_Sheds]

I understand they like and need these flowers......
dill,
cilantro,
yarrow,
wild carrot,
angelica,
cosmos,
geraniums
dandelions.

I'm just wondering how that list came about? In what way do the ladybirds use those plants?

[Shadylane]

I've read they like the above too. When we first started growing stuff our strawbs were absolutely infested in greenfly. The following year I started planting more flowers (mainly calendula at first) as our garden had very few. Since I did this we see more and more ladybirds every year and don't have problems with aphids.

[Two_Sheds]

I've read they like the above too

Yeah, but where? I'd like a look at the source if poss. All I've found is the same list copy & pasted to different sites, but no, if you like "real evidence"

I started planting more flowers (mainly calendula at first) ...Since I did this we see more and more ladybirds every year

With respect to you, that doesn't necessarily mean that calendula help the ladybirds. Personally, I have millions of both, but don't see them together. I see more ladybirds on bare soil, tbh

At school we had nothing but yarrow, everywhere. No ladybirds though.

[Two_Sheds]

I've read they like the above too

Yeah, but where? I'd like a look at the source if poss. All I've found is the same list copy & pasted to different sites, but no, if you like "real evidence"

I started planting more flowers (mainly calendula at first) ...Since I did this we see more and more ladybirds every year

With respect to you, that doesn't necessarily mean that calendula help the ladybirds, except that blackfly feed on calendula, and ladybirds feed on blackfly.
Personally, I have millions of both, but don't see them together. I see more ladybirds on bare soil, tbh

At school we had nothing but yarrow, everywhere. No ladybirds though.

[Shadylane]

With respect to you, that doesn't necessarily mean that calendula help the ladybirds, except that blackfly feed on calendula, and ladybirds feed on blackfly.

Yeah I know and I don't know if it was coincidence or not to be honest, but our garden had hardly any flowers, but when I started adding just a few it seemed to attract them. I googled a bit yesterday and info is conflicting on whether they eat the nectar or not. One site did say that they MAY be attracted to certain flowers.
We've had loads in the garden and allotment but no aphids yet. Does that mean they're gobbling them before they even have a chance to multiply? Who knows.

[Kaiya]

Re: marigolds - doesn't the species matter? Pot marigold vs. French marigold? I've read a lot about the benefits of French marigold, but the benefits of Pot marigold seem to be "looks pretty, use petals in place of saffron, can be used to make calendula cream".

[Bigmallly]

Not exactly what I would class as evidence TS. Interesting none the less.

Ladybugs

[taff]

Why are there loads on my nettles that I want to chop down? [they're in the shade, don't worry...]

[Two_Sheds]

the benefits of Pot marigold seem to be "looks pretty, use petals in place of saffron, can be used to make calendula cream".

and they attract beneficial insects

Not exactly what I would class as evidence TS. Interesting none the less.

Ladybugs

thank you, I'll have a read of that

Why are there loads on my nettles that I want to chop down?

nettle aphid

[taff]

stepping away from the nettle patch.....