Ladybirds in my greenhouse

[cestrian]

I found three ladybirds on the lawn I was removing a couple of weeks ago so I put them in my green house. Yesterday I saw three little larvae on my peppers and aubergines.

Ive never seen them before (or been looking for them maybe) but I was amazed at how fast and nimble the little fellars were and there are much less greenfly in my greenhouse now too.

[cestrian]

[Jayb]

Lucky you  ;D I could do with some to munch on the green critters. I had loads of ladybirds and larvae last year but I've not noticed any in the greenhouse this year.

[galina]

Lucky you  ;D I could do with some to munch on the green critters. I had loads of ladybirds and larvae last year but I've not noticed any in the greenhouse this year.

I transport them to the greenhouse when I have aphids, but a day or so later they always seem to escape  :(  and so I catch some more.  Have seen the first Harlequin ladybird here yesterday  :(  but there are lots of the native species this year.

[Gordonmull]

Well, just read a bit about harlequins. Christ, do people never learn? This really worried me:

"The research team are now exploring how the few native enemies of the harlequin that do exist could be used to control the invasion. One idea is to use a sexually transmitted mite, which makes some ladybirds infertile. If the transmission of the mites could be encouraged, the harlequin population could become greatly reduced. Other possible control options involve fungal disease, male-killing bacteria, a parasitic wasp and parasitic flies." http://www.ceh.ac.uk/news/news_archive/2009_news_item_28.html


Someone farked up the first time using biological control, so we'll use more biological control to control that fark-up. 

Rinse and repeat.