Back in the mid-nineties we were approached by a major television network’s gardening show staffers. They were going to do a segment on “beneficial insects” but knew nothing about the subject. They needed a few good bugs, some ladybugs (Hippodamia convergens), specifically, and whole lot of advice. We provided both in generous quantities, unfortunately while one was coveted (the bugs), the other eschewed; our advice wasn’t followed.
In exchange for our advice we would be credited at the end of the show. While that was nice, it was also no big deal. The big thrill for us was to be able to get the proper information out there on a national level to those who needed it, since it had been done so poorly by others in the past. In fact, we gave them the insects because they agreed that our concerns had merit and they would do their level best to teach people the proper way to release ladybugs. They failed.
In hindsight we wished we hadn’t given them the bugs since their failure was huge. We spent a fair amount of time teaching them the how-tos and why-fors, only to have them convey this information [or not] so poorly it was actually damaging to gardeners as well as industry players like ourselves. If people release ladybugs incorrectly, not only do the beetles not work, the people who try it may very well attack the very concept and seek other pest control avenues. Great. Thanks a lot television people — you not only wasted our time and money, and fifteen seconds of your own time, you hurt people with your bad advice.
We’ve talked about this over the years many times. Usually within our office in mini-rant form. This story has been told many times in fact. Often over the phone, delving into deeper conversations with customers. With you, perhaps. We explain: The television people took a quart ladybugs (18,000+ beetles), walked into a dry garden during mid-day, and dumped the entire thing onto one small shrub — the completely wrong way to do it!
What Went Wrong
We told them. You need to explain that people are best served by ladybugs by making a lot of very small releases, spread out in the area, over time. Not inundative releases, in one spot, and in one shot. Sure, an odd lucky customer or two over the years have claimed success doing this…
Yep. It was loaded with aphids so we dumped the whole gallon (72,000 ladybugs+) into our 2000 square foot greenhouse and closed it up for the weekend. We came back on Monday and all of our aphids were gone. — A Green Methods Customer
(As told over the telephone)
…but it’s rare that it works this way.
Lots of small releases! We want 99% of users to be successful. Not 1%. The garden show dumped them out at once, in one spot. And they did this during mid-day. The releases should be made in the evening. While it’s true the television crew may require some lighting and filming is easier during the day, the best time to release ladybugs isn’t negotiable. Releasing them in the evening, when they aren’t flighty, gives them the entire night to settle in. Morning releases, while a good second best, doesn’t offer them this extended settling-in period.
During a late evening summer rain or just following one, we’ve found, is the absolute best time to make a release. If it hasn’t rained, though, the schedule still needs to be followed. Thus, if no rain, the area should be watered first. Ladybugs get thirsty during transit and during storage. They want water first thing upon being released. If you give them what they want they are less likely to wander off and disappoint you. Makes sense, right? It does. Biocontrol use isn’t an illogical activity. A little common-sense goes a long way.
Let’s recap the salient points: DO make lots of small, spread out releases, made in the evening, after watering or rain, over time, based on a schedule. DON’T dump all the beetles out at once, in one spot, during mid-day, in a dry garden or greenhouse. It’s as simple as that. Unfortunately, the garden show folks taught upwards of a million viewers the wrong way to do it. Now you know better at least. Please pass this info along as we’ve found that even to this day we still have to do damage control.
Still wondering about the schedule-part of making ladybug releases? No problem. That info, the how-often and at-what-interval info, as well as how many to put out, is determined by our ladybug release rates. You just need to know the area and your infestation level. We try to provide all the right information.
How’d we do? Better than the gardening show? You bet. Got questions? Well, while comments are open you can ask below. You may also contact us or give us a call at 603.942.8925. We’ll try to teach you right. We can’t, after all, be successful unless you are.
