Ladybugs

Check this out:
Last night I was reading the December 2009 edition of High Times. On page 122 there is a picture of a Ladybug with a note saying:Ladybugs provide organic pest control for dealing with spider mites, thrips and fungus gnats.

I have had little bugs flying around for a while, not quite sure what they are exactly. So I put up a flystrip and it's 'caught' about 40 of them. They seem to be almost all gone.

So this afternoon I go check up on my girls and low and behold!!! There is a Ladybug on one of my plants. I live in Michigan and it's been cold as hell lately, so I have no idea where this little one came from. I just thought it was such a coincidence, having just read about that last night!

Let's hope she's gravid.
They lay eggs just before dawn, then "fly away home."
(It's the ladybug larvae that do all the thrip n mite noshing.)

Aloha,
Weezard

I did not know that. Hopefully she lays down some before she splits!

Thanks for the information. I like learning new things, especially when related to growing!

Take care!

just make sure that's not the japanese beetle that is infesting Illinois now ... they imported it to combat some kind of soybean aphid, but they multiplied out of control ... they look the same as a ladybug, except a bit orange-red (like yours), instead of bright red ... they bite people, and destroy trees ... they eat the leaves down, leaving only the veins ... don't celebrate yet :wtf:

fake lady bugs that bite!! :eek: I did not know about that, thanks IR. We had zillions of them here in eastern ok last spring but I figured it was just from the mild winter, probably was here anyway (I hope).

Quote:

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Originally Posted by the image reaper

just make sure that's not the japanese beetle that is infesting Illinois now ... they imported it to combat some kind of soybean aphid, but they multiplied out of control ... they look the same as a ladybug, except a bit orange-red (like yours), instead of bright red ... they bite people, and destroy trees ... they eat the leaves down, leaving only the veins ... don't celebrate yet :wtf:

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No worry, that's a gen-u-ine ladybug.
J. B.s used to eat my roses back east.

Weeze

You sound pretty sure Weeze!

Thank you! Had me worried there for a bit.
Of course I don't know enough to say one way or the other, so I don't mean to discredit your comment image reaper. I appreciate all of the input!
:o

Dura
:thumbsup:

no offense, in the slightest :D ... but, keep your eye on them :wtf:

found what I was looking for: ... they aren't 'japanese beetles', as I previously called them, they are 'Asian Lady Beetles' ... here's some info and pic ... note while pictured one is yellow, they also appear as red or deep-orange ... the deep orange ones, on my friend's Illinois farm, stripped all the bushes and trees, to nothing ... not to alarm, just be aware ... they look a lot like plain old harmless ladybugs ...

" Description
The Asian lady (ladybug) beetle is approximately 1/3 inch in length and semispherical or dome-shaped. They vary from yellowish-orange to red; DEEP ORANGE is the most common color. There are 19 black spots on the back that vary in darkness among individuals. The spots may be faint or missing on some beetles. There is a black "W" shaped mark on the thorax. "

i got ma a batch of them lil red buggers
just dont know if they are the good or the suckers
they been in there for some time
and its been fine..
~MG

Quote:

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Originally Posted by the image reaper

found what I was looking for: ... they aren't 'japanese beetles', as I previously called them, they are 'Asian Lady Beetles' ... here's some info and pic ... note while pictured one is yellow, they also appear as red or deep-orange ... the deep orange ones, on my friend's Illinois farm, stripped all the bushes and trees, to nothing ... not to alarm, just be aware ... they look a lot like plain old harmless ladybugs ...

" Description
The Asian lady (ladybug) beetle is approximately 1/3 inch in length and semispherical or dome-shaped. They vary from yellowish-orange to red; DEEP ORANGE is the most common color. There are 19 black spots on the back that vary in darkness among individuals. The spots may be faint or missing on some beetles. There is a black "W" shaped mark on the thorax. "

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Dat mo' betta, IR.
Had me going there.

I know from Japanese beetles, they are much larger, iridescent, gold n green, and will clusterpluck yer favorite plants to the bone. They no bite, but they do "pinch"

Real Ladybugs don't eat yer garden, or bite.
We have a Hawaiian variety that has a black shell and bright orange eye patches.
Jus' went out to get a pic.
Fat chance, they saw the camera an' split!:D

Considerin' all the variation in color an' spots of the mimics though, prolly the best way to tell 'em apart, is to just look for toothmarks.:D

Good call, I.R.!

Weezard

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Durameter

You sound pretty sure Weeze!

Well, I was.
But this is new info for me.

Thank you! Had me worried there for a bit.
Of course I don't know enough to say one way or the other, so I don't mean to discredit your comment image reaper. I appreciate all of the input!
:o

IR's a mentor of the first water.
Been around a while, paid attention.
You can usually trust his advice.
I'm jus' da kine guy described in his sig.:)

Mahalo IR, I'm off ta browse da bug bibles.


Dura
:thumbsup:

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Aloha,
Weezard

I'm pretty sure the ones here were just plain old 'merican lady bugs. :jointsmile: I've still got hundreds of 'em that got inside the plastic on my grow lights and drifted off into their final light. :stoned: :D that is still interesting, though. not sure what's scarier, getting my crops devoured or getting bit by one :eek:

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Weezard

Hexapodal double agents!?

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:D lmoa!

Yep, that's what she is; an Asian Lady Beetle. I looked up more pictures and it's exactly as Image Reaper said. Of course now I can't find her anywhere on my plants!

Thanks for the help everyone! I really appreciate it!

Now I just need to find that dang thing and kill her. I think I might hook up a couple wires to her from a battery and fry her and leave her on the plant as a message to all other bugs! "You do not want to eat here"
:gunfighter2:
lmao!

just use a safety pin.. and pin her where she can be seen by the marauding hordes lol
~MG

LOL - even better!!
:)