ladybugs

I bought 1500 ladybugs yesterday, put them out in my vegatble garden to eat what ever is chewing holes in my squash and eggplant leaves and today I could only see 1 ladybug. Where did they go? Anyone else have this problem or any success with ladybugs?

I usually put out ladybugs but only a tablespoon or two in the evenings where there are aphids.
First, they need food. If there is nothing in your garden for them to eat they'll find food somewhere else.

The way I read to do it is spritz water on the plants that have the aphids so they have something to drink. Put them out on the plant in the early evening because they don't fly at night and are more likely to stay in your garden. The left over ladybugs can be stored in your refrigerator for up to two weeks but make sure they are not wet when you put them in the refrigerator. Then sprinkle them out everynight.

I read that ladybugs are mostly collected in the mountains of California and when you release them they try to fly back home. I don't buy them. I just let the local ones take on the job. I had black aphids all over my cherry tree this year and only 4 or 5 lady bugs. I restrained myself from using poisons and lo and behold those few little ladybugs ate every one of those aphids. I could hardly believe my eyes. It took them about a week, though.

Hi,

One thing to bear in mind when releasing the lady bugs is to do it late at night, because then they are less likely to take off right away.

It is true that if you don't have a lot of food for them, then they won't stay. Gardening organically will be the best way to bring a lady bug population to your garden. We took over a garden that was just dead from use of pesticide - a picture perfect lawn, but no life anywhere to be seen. We moved in here in the summer of 2005 and this is the first year that beneficial insects are really taking up residence.

I just went out to look at one (just one of many) of my nasturtiums, that are under attack by flea beetles. I counted 20 lady bug larva in a 3 square foot area. Those flea beetles won't be around to much longer I think!

Patience is the key when you switch from pesticide to natural controls. It takes awhile for things to balance out, and you have to be willing to accept a certain level of plant damage without panicking!

The rewards of an all organic garden are well worth it!

I didn't know lady bugs ate flea beatles. I thought they only ate aphids.

They are mostly known for eating aphids but here's what one website says:

Ladybugs feed on aphids, chinch bugs, whiteflies, and mites, as well as many other soft-bodied insects and their eggs. Each adult ladybug may consume as many as 5,000 aphids during their adult life.

There are also some asian non native varieties that I think have a broader appetite

How cool! Another way to outwit flea beetles is a heavy mulch. They live in the ground and have to hop to their food source. The mulch gets in the way.

that's interesting to know. I too though they only eat aphids.. Think I'll find myself some since I haven't seen any in my neck of the woods.. are there any varietys that's native to NY I wonder.. Cuz I have bugs galore to them to eat.. Think they will be very very happy at my place..