Dave talks with Susie Anderson about using live ladybugs to control aphids and explores a garden designed to attract ladybugs and other beneficial bugs to nearby plants under threat from insects.

Video Transcription

David Epstein: Hi! I’m David Epstein, this is Growing Wisdom. I am here today with Susie Anderson and we are at Johnny’s Selected Seeds and that will be in Maine. So Susie, we are in front of some peppers and these guys need some serious help, don’t they? Susie Anderson: Yes, they have aphids. David Epstein: So, what’s one of the best insects to get rid of these guys? Susie Anderson: Ladybugs, they are voracious eaters of aphids, the larvae of the ladybug. David Epstein: You can purchase them. Susie Anderson: Yes. David Epstein: Buy them online. They come in the mail. And tell me the steps to go through in order to have as much success with this as possible. Susie Anderson: The first thing you want to do when you get them is water them. That invigorates them to start releasing. Before you actually release the ladybugs on to the plant, you want to water the plants. And overhead water them, you want water droplets collected in the petioles of the leaves so the ladybugs have more water to drink. After they’ve had about a half an hour of a drink of water, release the ladybugs in a shadier spot. And they’ll rest for a while. David Epstein: These are very beneficial bugs. And you told me there’s other beneficial bugs that people might want to look for as well which are— Susie Anderson: Yeah, there’s the aphid wasp, and there’s also the hoverfly, and the green lacewing. Those all eat aphids. David Epstein: You have here an adult beneficial insect garden, right? Susie Anderson: Yes. It attracts the adult beneficial insect so that they are near your plants. So, they lay eggs, so their larvae are there to eat your aphids. David Epstein: And what would be some of the plants you’d recommend to plant in this adult beneficial insect garden? Susie Anderson: Nasturtium, anything in the carrot family, clover, basil, dill, and radishes. David Epstein: Beneficial insects, kind of fun. The kids might enjoy this as well, kind of creepy. Comeback every week for all our tips, hints, and helps at growinggisdom.com.