Ladybug Retreat

[Shellyann36]

My hubby and I are both additcted to Pinterest. He saw these amazing LadyBug Retreats pinned and that gave him the idea to create us one. He used an old mailbox that would have gone to the landfill and was able to recycle all while creating something for our garden! Ladybug Retreats are so easy to create and I was floored when I found out that these tiny little beauties eat lots and lots of aphids. If you have not created your own ladybug retreat I would recommend that you do so. Here are some pictures of ours.

 

[Becky]

That's a great idea! I saw a ladybird in the garden today and scooped it up to munch on the aphids on my roses

 

[Shellyann36]

We are very happy with it. I had no idea that those little darlings were so helpful to a garden. We are really trying to use more organic methods and get away from chemicals and dangerous toxins.

 

[claudine]

This is such a lovely idea! I love ladybugs, they're cute, little creatures that always remind me of summer. I want to create my own ladybug retreat too, thank you for the inspiration.

 

[ChanellG]

I rarely see ladybugs in my yard and I was thinking of using a bamboo ladybug feeder like this one:

My only concern though is that ants would somehow discover it and start crawling all over the place and eating the raisins. That's the trouble with these sorts of things - you try something and it doesn't work well, works too well, or you get a completely different result.

I do plan on making something similar to what you have above for bees as well as a habitat for lizards. I don't have a massive aphid problem right now so controlling them isn't that difficult. It's just hard to get ladybugs to hang around.

 

[Shellyann36]

I rarely see ladybugs in my yard and I was thinking of using a bamboo ladybug feeder like this one:

My only concern though is that ants would somehow discover it and start crawling all over the place and eating the raisins. That's the trouble with these sorts of things - you try something and it doesn't work well, works too well, or you get a completely different result.

I do plan on making something similar to what you have above for bees as well as a habitat for lizards. I don't have a massive aphid problem right now so controlling them isn't that difficult. It's just hard to get ladybugs to hang around.

I have not seen one of these yet. Thank you for sharing the picture. We have a terrible problem with ants and I can understand your concerns. I would have the same concerns here. I will have to show this to Keith as well.

 

[Shellyann36]

This is such a lovely idea! I love ladybugs, they're cute, little creatures that always remind me of summer. I want to create my own ladybug retreat too, thank you for the inspiration.

You are very welcome. I hope it works out for you.

 

[blueeyes]

What a great idea, ShellyAnn. I love ladybugs but really had no idea how helpful they were to our gardens.Living on the fifth floor of a condo complex means I don't see too many but a few make it up this high.

 

[dconklin]

I haven't seen any ladybugs this year and we usually have a ton of them here. Maybe something like this will help bring them back! But I am not sure because I have not seen them anywhere around town, it's not just our yard.

It is worth trying tho! Thank you for the idea

 

[Shellyann36]

What a great idea, ShellyAnn. I love ladybugs but really had no idea how helpful they were to our gardens.Living on the fifth floor of a condo complex means I don't see too many but a few make it up this high.

Its worth a try if you get a chance. Perhaps they will float up that high. We have a 3rd story on our home and they love to latch onto the windows up there. I am hoping that this will draw them away from the house because they like to try and invade.

 

[Shellyann36]

I haven't seen any ladybugs this year and we usually have a ton of them here. Maybe something like this will help bring them back! But I am not sure because I have not seen them anywhere around town, it's not just our yard.

It is worth trying tho! Thank you for the idea

If your area is anything like mine (North Carolina) we are getting lots of rain. Our state has several areas that are flooding this summer. The garden is soggy and to tell you the truth I have not checked the ladybug home in weeks due to all of the rain. If we step off of the back patio area we mire up to our ankles and our garden area is pretty much a lost cause in the back yard. We have a few tomato plants up front in a small garden area that are draining properly right now but the back yard garden is a lost cause at this point. I am unsure how the ladybugs are doing. This might be why you are not seeing any. Normally by now I would find them in the house (fly in while the door is open) and I have not seen any this year.

 

[blueeyes]

Its worth a try if you get a chance. Perhaps they will float up that high. We have a 3rd story on our home and they love to latch onto the windows up there. I am hoping that this will draw them away from the house because they like to try and invade.

Actually, you could be right...A few years ago, I was living in a different apartment and was on the fourth floor. There was quite an infiltration of ladybugs that year and I had tons on my balcony. I will have to rethink this and maybe give it a go

 

[Shellyann36]

Actually, you could be right...A few years ago, I was living in a different apartment and was on the fourth floor. There was quite an infiltration of ladybugs that year and I had tons on my balcony. I will have to rethink this and maybe give it a go

Yes and you can always bait them with the Bamboo Ladybug feeder that ChanellG posted above. I would give it a try.

 

[blueeyes]

Yes and you can always bait them with the Bamboo Ladybug feeder that ChanellG posted above. I would give it a try.

I really do like the Bamboo ladybug feeder and don't really think I would have a problem with ants this high up. So there may be a bit of an advantage living on the fifth floor...hehe

 

[ACSAPA]

I don't see too many ladybugs anymore. I used to see lots of them. I wonder if things like climate change and pollution are affecting them.
It's been years since I've seen a lightning bug too and I used to see them all the time.