The garden seems to be a popular place for ladybugs this year. I’m seeing many more than usual, even for spring. Online, the local gardeners seem to be saying the same thing, so maybe we’re having a bumper year for them here? Here are 6,000 photos of them for #sixonsaturday. Just kidding, only a few more than six, because I can’t help myself.
Aren’t they cute?! But in their larval form they kinda look like scary alligators. See here.
Ok, now I can stop photographing them. I might amend this post later to include some more about ladybugs, but spring is popping and there are things to do, like clear the garden beds in prep for Monday–the day after the May full moon, when we are historically past our last frost here in our micro-climate, and the soil gets warm enough for the tender summer veggie roots.* It’s then time to plant out the summer veg like tomatoes, zucchini, peppers, and…shall I plant corn this year? Hmmm…the raccoons and rats usually eat all the cobs. Well, I have the weekend to ponder.
If you enjoy seeing other people’s gardens as I do, click over here to see what the SixOnSaturday thing is all about. You’re invited too.
Happy Gardening! ~lisa
*Some gardeners plant out tender summer veg earlier than the May full moon, and protect plants with frost covers if needed during cold nights. We do that too sometimes, but mostly these days I just wait. The plants don’t seem to really take off before now anyway.
To see ladybugs in their various stages and info about why NOT to buy ladybugs for your garden, see this post: Bugs and Buds.
Visit the The-Compulsive-Gardener.com!
Lovely to read about your ladybug picnic. Great photos! We call them ladybirds. I also have a lot of them this year (and lots of aphids for them to feed on!) I find it fascinating to watch them, and the speed with which they pounce on an aphid and gobble it up is quite incredible.
Unfortunately here in SW France we also have a huge number of Harlequin Ladybirds which originated in Asia. They breed by the thousands in our wooden window frames and there is a real concern that they will out-compete our native species for aphids and eat other ladybirds’ eggs and larvae.
Hi Lynne! Thanks so much! I’ve heard of the Harlequin Ladybirds/bugs but I’m not very well educated about them. What do you do about them? If you have done/do a post about that, or have a site that would be educational, let me know and I will include it to help share awareness. From a quick search, it looks like you can tell the difference by the legs, yes? The harlequins have orange-ish colored legs instead of black. Does that sound correct?
Glad to hear you have lots of wonderful Ladybugs in your garden! And thanks for including the information about their larvae, which are such an important part of nature’s “balancing act”!
Yes, I notice that it’s a frequent question from new-ish gardeners in the spring–“What is this bug?” And so often it is a ladybug larvae — so it’s nice if we all help each other get familiar with this wonderful garden helper. Thanks for visiting and commenting!
I haven’t seen any ladybirds yet, but I have plenty of aphids for them.
😀 Hope they find your garden soon for the aphid feast!
😀 I’m sure they will find you then! 😉
It’s good to have ladybugs in your garden as the larvae feed on aphids.
Yes! They are precious garden helpers. Even when I’m out mowing the field on the big mower (for fire safety), if I see a ladybug, I swerve. 😉
Exactly!
We see quite a lot of ladybirds here as we have a lot of aphids, especially in Spring.
Glad you have those cute and useful helpers in your garden too!
P.S. I would love to see your garden…do you have a blog too? Maybe I’m already following you but it’s under a different name? Please share if you do. Cheers!
Hi Lisa, my blog is here: http://janesmudgeegarden.com/
Great to see so many ladybirds! Could you maybe direct a few this way please – I hardly see any these days which is rather sad.
I will tell them you have a lovely garden if they are in the mood for some traveling! 🙂