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#293512 Aug 23rd, 2009 at 03:21 PM
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Hi everyone,

I'm getting a shipment of ladybugs this week for my greenhouse and I want to know if anyone knows of a way to keep the ones I don't want to release right away. In other words I want to let them go a few at a time. What can I do with the rest as they wait? Or must I let them all go at once??


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Rosepetal #293515 Aug 23rd, 2009 at 03:31 PM
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If you let them go in your greenhouse....and if I"m remembering correctly, you were the one with the aphid prob??? I'd let them all go at once. if there is plenty of aphids for them to eat they won't fly off. they'll stay where the food supply is until it's gone. and in a greenhouse, although doors and sides may be open from time to time, it is somewhat enclosed. maybe most wouldn't be able to get out?

I'll say this too. Most years in the fall when we are getting our first blast of cold weather, I get lots of ladybugs in the house. they congregate in our master bathroom for some reason. I don't see anything in there that they can eat, but they'll stay alive for several days and even weeks.

how long are you wanting to save back some of them?


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Rosepetal #293516 Aug 23rd, 2009 at 03:36 PM
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there should be directions with them, when they arrive.

i think you can keep them in the fridge (in vegy drawer) to keep them in a partly dormant state and then release some every few days.


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cricket #293518 Aug 23rd, 2009 at 03:39 PM
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Directions will come with your lady bugs that will tell you to release them all at once, I believe. And soon. They will eat each other if left too long in a container. And then die off.
Cricket, I think the kind in your master bedroom are the Asian ones or something. People say they bite. So you may be their dinner there. Here is a bit about the Asian ones.
http://www.thegardenhelper.com/cgi-bin/ubb/cgi/ultimatebb.cgi/topic/66/2142.html
They are probably different than the ones Rosepetal is getting.


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Tina #293534 Aug 23rd, 2009 at 07:26 PM
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I wish the container had some directions, I've ordered from this company before and no directions came along. I also emailed them and got no reply ... if I had found another supplier from Canada soon enough, guaranteed I would have pulled my order and gotten it else where.

The lady bugs I ordered do not bite, anyway they didn't when I got them the first time.

Tina if you are suggesting I should let them go all at once, I'll just open the container and let them crawl out as they will.

My cherry tomatoes are loaded with aphids and I hate using chemicals because most of them will destroy the flowers or hurt the plants no matter how safe they say they are. I know because I tried them. I lost my peppers because of aphids and chemicals.


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Rosepetal #293599 Aug 25th, 2009 at 03:34 AM
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From what I've read, you're supposed to water the spot where you let the ladybugs go, and you have to let them go at night or else they'll all fly away (I'm not sure if your greenhouse is enclosed or open ended)They should stay as long as you have food. Do expect to find quite a few dead one.


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kennyso #293669 Aug 25th, 2009 at 01:44 PM
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It's one day now since I've let my ladybugs go. I can find them crawling everywhere, though not as many as I let go. Yes Kennyso I have found quite a few dead ones this morning, but I'm sure the others are having a feast.

On the positive side of things .... I'm not finding any aphids on the newer buds of my tomatoes so far. Let hope it stays this way.


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Rosepetal #293689 Aug 25th, 2009 at 06:08 PM
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Ah, summer, what power you have to make us suffer and like it. ~Russel Baker

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