The Ladybugs Finally Arrived

Clusters of aphids on a Trumpet Vine

Over the many years that I have been gardening in the High Desert, I have noticed that each spring comes with a different set of insect issues to deal with. This year, and last year as well, the problem is aphids - lots of them. I always get a few aphids in the garden and landscape, but this year is a bit different with the aphids seemingly everywhere. They were in the pine trees, purple robe locusts, desert willows, bee balm, Angelita daisies, trumpet vine, butterfly bushes, pear tree, roses, and others. I was noticing all of these aphids, and wondering where in the world are the ladybugs?

One of the best ways to control aphids is with the use of beneficial insects (bugs that eat other bugs). Among the best aphid eaters are lady beetles (ladybugs) and especially their larvae, which look a lot like tiny black and orange alligators. Ladybugs can usually be purchased at a good nursery or through a catalog, which you can do if they don't show up in big enough numbers naturally.

A Convergent Lady Beetle

 The lady bugs finally showed up on their own this week - not just a few, but seemingly dozens if not hundreds, and more than one kind. There seem to be big ladybugs, small ladybugs, spotted ladybugs, no-spots ladybugs, and even beige-colored ladybugs. Yes, my aphid infestation may come to an end naturally. I have been blasting the aphids off of the plants with water, and spraying solutions of Ivory dish soap and water, which work fairly well in normal conditions, but I am thankful to get help from the ladybugs – especially for those areas on the plants that I can’t reach. I also noticed dozens of ladybug larvae on one of my yellow-flowering butterfly bushes – a good sign indeed!

Ladybug larvae on a Butterfly Bush

So what does an aphid look like? Aphids are pear-shaped and about one-tenth to about a half-inch long depending on the particular kind (there are over 4,000 different species). Generally, they can be green, yellow, peach or black and are found on the undersides of leaves or clustered on the new growth. If you look at them really closely - with a magnifying glass - you will notice two cornicles toward their rear ends that look a lot like exhaust pipes.

Aphids can cause your plants to be stunted, wilted, yellowish and to die by sucking out the plant's juices. They can also spread diseases. If you notice a lot of ants on your plants, you probably have aphids secreting "honeydew," which is a sticky sweet substance that attracts ants - get rid of the aphids and the ants will usually go away, too.

Hopefully, the aphids will be gone in a couple of weeks, thanks to the arrival of the ladybugs and their offspring.