I've seen them for sale in garden centres. Somewhat overpriced for what they are, a several small cardboard tubes inside a larger one for about £20. :o
Do ladybirds readily make them their home and breed in noticeably increased numbers?
Has anybody used one, or made their own?
Do they work?
I made a wooden box with canes inside in last autumn. I think they do work, depending on the siting of them. I have yet to see how successful it is. Trouble is the Harlequins nest there too, and theyre nasties from Asia that eat our native ladybirds.
Its been so mild I think the poor things dont know wether to hibernate or what, had loads inside and most of those were Harlequins. So they met thier end swiftly.
If you google for it you will see the differences between the species
Also £20 is way overpriced for cardboard tubing :o.
They are really easy to make ;)
It was really nice cardboard though. ;D
I use that cat picture as my avatar on other boards.
I animated it to make it look like he was chewing a wasp.
(http://www.completeshite.com/funnycat.gif)
I've often thought these expensive too. We were replacing our burglar alarm and we so surprised to see loads of ladybirds nesting inside there - so we had to put this in a sheltered part of the garden until they left :)
I've had lacewings coming out of hibernation in my classroom this week, it is so disappointing when y8 don't recognise them and squissh them before I can get them outside!
:-X
saddad - I have a blanket 'no kill' policy in my classroom - they are not allowed to kill anything at all as I do not know of any insect that comes in my classrooms that has not had a redeeming feature. They freak out at the sight of a wasp - I relocate it outside whilst extolling its caterpillar killing virtues etc. It works - no deaths in five years except in the first month of a new class. :)
They are not nests as such because ladybirds do not make nests. It is a way of providing a dry refuge for overwintering. Ladybirds lay their eggs on plants near to aphids.
Save your money and make something yourself, for example short legths of bamboo cane tied in a bunch are supposedly very effective.
Quote from: dtw on February 20, 2007, 12:23:21
It was really nice cardboard though. ;D
I use that cat picture as my avatar on other boards.
I animated it to make it look like he was chewing a wasp.
(http://www.completeshite.com/funnycat.gif)
Hee hee......How DID you do that. Thats brilliant ;D ;D ;D