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As the warmer weather sets in, many of us will start to see more ladybirds, but there’s a simple method you can use to attract them to your garden. Ladybirds are super pretty insects, and they’re around a lot more from the spring onwards due to the better climate.
They begin to emerge from hibernation from March and April when the temperatures start to rise, which means we’re more likely to see them from now on. If you like having them around, it turns out leaving a simple item in your garden can help, and you probably have some lying around if you’re a gardening lover.
There are some uses to having some insects outside too. Previously, people were told how to easily attract bugs to their outdoor spaces.
Senior Horticultural Content Manager at Fothergill’s Pim Dickson recently shared some tips you can use to attract them to your garden. It turns out, it’s a lot simpler than you probably think.
If you spend a lot of time tending to your garden, you probably have a lot of cuttings. These are items you really ought to hang on to.
Read more: All gardeners urged to put cucumber skins outside in April
Pim explained: “When it comes to pruning, think twice before binning all those plant cuttings. The hollow stems of plants are like five-star hotels for solitary bees and ladybirds looking for somewhere to shelter.
“For something more creative, try making a basic bug hotel using pinecones, straw and hollow stems. These structures provide safe winter accommodation for beneficial insects that help keep garden pests under control.
“Creating a wildlife-friendly garden isn’t about doing more work; it’s about doing less. This simply means leave some areas a bit messy, grow plants that naturally feed and shelter creatures and avoid harsh chemicals.
“Your local wildlife will thank you, and you’ll enjoy a garden that’s buzzing with life all year round.”
Little you may know, it can be really beneficial to have ladybirds in the garden. There are a few reasons why this is the case.
Why should you attract them?
It can be super handy to have ladybirds in the garden. They act as natural pest controllers, with both adults and larvae voraciously feeding on harmful pests like aphids (greenfly/blackfly), scale insects and mites.
They work to protect plant health without the need to use chemicals. A single ladybird can consume hundreds of aphids in its lifetime, which is something you may not have known.
The insects appreciate quiet, untidy corners, long grass and “bug hotels” for shelter and hibernation. This is why leaving cuttings outside is so handy.
It’s just important to know that they are sensitive to chemicals, which can harm them and destroy their food source. If you want to attract them, avoid using these products.
By following these rules, they should visit you more often. They are also attracted to pollen-rich plants like calendula, marigolds, dill, fennel and cosmos.
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