I have a garden, and am currently growing some asparagus beans that have become infested with aphids. I did try to eliminate some of them by spraying once with soapy water; it didn’t work, so I’ve chalked it up to attrition and have been leaving them alone.
I started noticing a few Asian lady bugs and then quite a few, then some polished lady beetles and then lots more. I have read that the Asian ones often feed on the larva of the native species.
Should I be removing the Asian ones to give the natives a better chance? And do what with them? Hate to kill them, as they are working hard, so should I just relocate them?
The bug explosion is due in part to stopping mowing and weeding a lot of my yard. I’ve never used insecticides as I’m trying to grow food that I eat and don’t want to ingest any of that stuff.
On a completely different subject; does anyone know of something that will deter doodle bugs? They eat more of my strawberries than I do! I’m quite fond of them, so don’t really want to kill them, just discourage them.
Thanks for any help.
Debbie
Killing and “dump somewhere else” are the only two realistic options for Harmonia management. However, note that Cycloneda spp. are mysteriously able to prevent Harmonia from appearing and surviving in certain habitats; I’m not sure exactly how but it may have something to do with soil dampness and aphid type. They’re ecologically aggressive natives.
I assume by “doodlebug” you mean isopod, because myrmeleontids aren’t strawberry pests. Putting the plants in hanging baskets or bagging the fruits before they ripen should be enough.
Thanks so much for your reply. I do have the spotless Cycloneda lady bugs, so maybe they’ll take care of the problem themselves!
The doodlebugs are the isopod type. I have two long beds of strawberries so hanging them (or bagging the fruit) isn’t really practical. There are more than 60 plants. I read somewhere coffee grinds might deter them, but don’t want to hurt them.
Not sure if it will help your situation, but try putting a thick layer of pinestraw around the plants.
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