Spray a fine mist of water on the plants before the release. Lady beetles will fly away almost immediately if released during the heat of the day or where the sun is shining, so wait until evening to release them. Release lady beetles at dusk or early evening. The convergent lady beetle, which is the species sold for release, feeds almost entirely on aphids and will not remain on plants with low aphid populations and will not control other garden pests. Lady beetles are voracious aphid feeders and an adult beetle will eat 50 or more aphids a day. There is no point in releasing them on plants with few aphids. Lady beetles need a good supply of aphids. Larger qualities can be purchased from online lady beetle suppliers. Most packages sold in stores contain only enough lady beetles to treat one aphid-infested shrub or a few small plants. One large, heavily infested rose bush in the landscape required two applications of about 1,500 lady beetles each, spaced a week apart. UC research shows that high numbers of lady beetles are required to control aphids. Lady beetles purchased from primary suppliers (those who obtain beetles directly from collectors) may be healthier than those held in stores for several weeks. When purchasing lady beetles, inspect the container and make sure almost all beetles are alive. Stores or gardeners are advised to mist lady beetles with water in a squirt bottle before placing them in the refrigerator for storage, making sure not to let water puddle in containers. Also, lady beetles are often dehydrated and need water, especially if they have been held at room temperature, even for a few hours. Live lady beetles on display in stores are attractive for customers, but beetles left out at room temperature rapidly deteriorate. Lady beetles need to be kept refrigerated until they are released. Lady beetles deteriorate rapidly if not handled properly. Here are some things to consider if you decide to try lady beetle releases: Other low toxicity aphid management practices, such as hosing off or insecticidal soap or oil sprays, may be more effective. However, because of inadequate release rates or poor quality, lady beetles often fail to provide satisfactory control. University of California research has demonstrated that lady beetle releases can effectively control aphids in a limited landscape or garden area if properly handled and applied in sufficient numbers. Many other species of lady beetles occur naturally in California landscapes but don't aggregate in the mountains and aren't sold commercially. Suppliers collect beetles from large overwintering aggregations in California's foothills and mountains. Lady beetles sold at nurseries for aphid control are convergent lady beetles, named for the converging white marks on its thorax. Gardeners often ask, “Does releasing lady beetles really work?” Convergent lady beetles eat aphids voraciously.Many retail nurseries and garden centers sell lady beetles for controlling aphids in gardens and landscapes.
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