Oh, they work, but buying them is silly. They will come all on their own if you create the right habitat. What is the right habitat? One that isn't full of broad spectrum pesticide. Beneficial insects don't "work" if you kill them by spraying sevin or neem or pyrethrins all over the garden. The fewer pesticides I used, the more beneficial insects I saw. It takes a while to get the balance right - but if you manage the aphid infestation by blasting them with the hose until the lady bugs can show up for the feast, you give the lady bugs a chance.

I don't use any pesticides in my garden. I do use fire ant bait, way away from the garden. Any hills that I find in/near the garden, I pour boiling water on them.

Don't buy mantids. In SC you will see plenty, maybe too many. They are indescriminte destroyers, will eat a hummingbird if they can catch it. Tolerate some early season aphids and you will have lots of ladybeetles, too. Also syrphid flies (hover flies) which probably do more cleanup work than anything in my garden. Plant flowers and herbs along with your veggies and the help will come.

I plant dill and marigolds in my garden, anything I should add?

I usually put out 10,000 to 20,000 ladybugs every year in my high tunnels. They travel outside too. I do this as I am growing year around in my tunnels and anytime I have aphids, especially in the late fall and winter, their populations will explode!

Also, I am growing many things before the natural predators show up, so I need to help out nature.

Jay

I have boughten Ladybugs, but buy the parasitic wasps have helped me more than lady buts but I guess that depends which bugs are causing one problems.
It is amazing we had the invasion of oriental Ladybugs a few years ago, they bite people more easily than the native ones, and people were whining about them like spoiled children.

They did a good job here of keeping the nasty bug pop. down.

I am temp. using a Toshiba computer that I hate, the key board fights me fingers--- ANYWAY-- I did not mean to write lady buts!

"Lady buts"... sigh... those spammers are always trying to get bug porn into GW! For shame! 8-)

If you could plant predator-attracting plants around the garden (even just around the perimeter), it would help to provide a diner to attract them. Google 'Farmer Fred Beneficial Insects' for lists of plants that can help you out.

Sue

I have purchased a pint of ladybugs on occasion, when I had an aphid infestation. They worked well.

Oregano and catnip in bloom attract huge numbers of small wasps and other buzzers. In the SE they are good plants as beneficial beacons.

I don't have any aphids or pests yet and the Ladybugs and praying mantis arrived today. I wasn't expecting that fast of a shipment!

I've got them in my garage fridge. I didn't open the package.

I have plenty of stuff blooming, Crimson clover, azaleas, and tomatoes. The fruit trees have already set fruit. Should I keep them in the fridge a while?

I bought some ladybug lures instead.

I've found that if I keep the garden area too clean during the winter, I leave no place for the good bugs to live. Now I let some of the cabbage and lettuce go to seed. Also consider planting cover crops for them to live in during the winter. Remember mother nature usually leaves something growing or at least green during the winter. I've even been known to let thistles grow for a while since I've noticed so many ladybugs on them. Weeds can be good bug plants too.

Any idea if they would control Click beetles, Wireworms, etc.?

BUY? LOL, we're overrun with ladybugs, stories of using a 5 gallon shopvac and dumping that into garbage cans to haul into the woods are common in the fall. Wonder if it's because this area was small farms Ev

Timing is important if you are going to have luck. For predatory insects to hang around and help you, you can't kill their food supply. So be patient. Expect some losses. Companion planting is beneficial to this process and effective in both the landscape and the garden. Check out the link.

Here is a link that might be useful: companion planting

The house I lived in for the last few years is out in the country, 15 minutes from town, and there are overgrown fields and forests, which are great for insects to breed in, so we get a huge cross section of insects, many I've never seen before.

But one insect I saw fr the first time there was a type of Assassin Bug, called a "Wheel Bug". Its called that because in its final adult form, it has a half wheel shaped ridge on its back/thorax, with little spikes on it. They get to be 3/4" to 1 1/4" long, and they are predators that eat other bugs all day! They have some weird behaviors later in the year that I dont understand, but thats another story.(They piggy back on each other, but there seems to be no physical connection/mating going on, but starting in September, you will see the 3/4 sized ones piggybacking on the full sized ones, for hours at a time)

Wheel bugs are very shy though so most people dont see them. You have to look for them, until september, when they hang out on the porch, piggy backing(LOL!)

I love the vision of shy wheel bugs piggy backing on the porch! Thank you!

The package on the praying mantis eggs said to tie-wrap them to a limb, doesn't say which end. I'm guessing the end that you tie-wrap would be the pointed end??? It seems natural since the pointed end would be from hanging and the other end looks kinda female....

I released the Lady bugs last night and they seem to be happy. They didn't die and it seems that most of them stayed. They are enjoying the Crimson clover, which is in full bloom.