May 22, 2010

Ladybugs for Sale?

At the local nursery, there was a shelf lined with containers of live ladybugs for sale.  Are they kidding me?  It wasn't cheap either, and there's no guarantee that they'll stay in your backyard garden.  And don't you wonder how the sellers collect them? 

The ladybug collectors scoop up the hibernating ladybugs by the millions, put them in containers and place it in a cool place, then ship them out to retailers.  Similar to how bulb plants bloom; the ladybugs are dormant and won't lay their eggs and mature until they break this dormancy period. 

It doesn't seem natural to me to buy ladybugs for your garden.  It's a waste of money unless of course, you're able to keep the ladybugs from ever leaving your garden. 

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