Best pest deterrent ever!!!!

fdd2blk

Well-Known Member
i've been watching the ladybugs for 1/2 an hour. you sprinkle a few on the soil after a light watering. they suck up some water then head for the main stalk. starting at the bottom and working their way up they meticulously cover ever square inch while eating anything in their path. they seem to be finding things. i have no idea what. i don't really have any pests, i've been bringing plants from outdoor to flower inside and am using the ladybugs as a preventive measure.

the mantis take 30 days to hatch. i have them in a paper bag so when they hatch i will know and can release them. most will go outside. i may keep 1 or 2 inside as pets. :mrgreen:

 

000420

terpenophenolic
awsome, that would be cool to have a couple praying mantis indoors...I bet they are cool to watch......
 

AzGrOw-N-sMoKe

New Member
ya lady bugs are dope...whats sad is people kill all the bugs in their gardens even good one's like lady bugs an praying mantis'.....if people took a little more time an did some researh into their insect helpers i bet you would see more threads talking of their greatness...
 

hearmenow

Well-Known Member
Lady bugs are the best organic solution but with outdoor growers, it's almost a waste of time. As soon as you put the lb's on the plant, within 15 mins, they are gone and your neighbor across the street suddenly finds that her rose garden is covered with lbs. I don't know how you can force the lbs to remain on your plants outside. Once that's mastered, I will be a ladybug buying fool.
 

fdd2blk

Well-Known Member
Lady bugs are the best organic solution but with outdoor growers, it's almost a waste of time. As soon as you put the lb's on the plant, within 15 mins, they are gone and your neighbor across the street suddenly finds that her rose garden is covered with lbs. I don't know how you can force the lbs to remain on your plants outside. Once that's mastered, I will be a ladybug buying fool.


if you spray cola and water on their wings they won't fly away. mix equal parts sticky cola soda with water, put in a spray bottle and mist LBs before release. this "glues" their wings shut. they will establish a home in your garden before they glue wears off. i can't do this, it just seems cruel. but that is what the directions say.
 

shamegame

Well-Known Member
Hmm I've heard stories about ppl gluing strings to japanese beetles.. maybe you could tie up the lady bugs so they can't go more than 2ft in any direction....you know, with little stakes in the ground and little shackles on thier ankles...
 

hearmenow

Well-Known Member
Fdd, I know you have some outside plants. Let us know how the cola solution works. When I had my spidermite battles, I read almost everything I could find on solutions and the LBs is the best if you can contain them on your plant. Every outside grower said it's pretty much futile keeping them around after 15mins. If the sticky wing solution works, this might be the way to go. For cabinet and grow room growers, it's not so much of an issue if you don't mind a few LBs escaping and flying around your home.
 

fdd2blk

Well-Known Member
Fdd, I know you have some outside plants. Let us know how the cola solution works. When I had my spidermite battles, I read almost everything I could find on solutions and the LBs is the best if you can contain them on your plant. Every outside grower said it's pretty much futile keeping them around after 15mins. If the sticky wing solution works, this might be the way to go. For cabinet and grow room growers, it's not so much of an issue if you don't mind a few LBs escaping and flying around your home.

i used pirate bugs outdoors last year. they are still around this year. apparently they have established residency. they are small an have a probiscus (sp) that they use to suck the juice out of their prey. the ladybugs stay around for a week or so. i just can't glue their wings shut. it's mean. the indoor ones don't seem to want to leave. a few have escaped but there are still plenty hanging around. the mantis will also go outdoors once hatched. i need a good moth deterrent for the fall.
 

hearmenow

Well-Known Member
What do you find easier, growing inside or outside? I imagine from the pest standpoint, outside is harder, huh?
 

fdd2blk

Well-Known Member
What do you find easier, growing inside or outside? I imagine from the pest standpoint, outside is harder, huh?

i do better outdoors. the only pest i am left to battle is the moths. they lay eggs in the buds about half way thru flowering. the eggs hatch into caterpillars and destroy the colas.
 

AnOnion

Active Member
its probably impossible but i wondered if there was a place you could order lady bugs on the net? i assume that in transit the LB's would be out of the cold hibernation making it difficult if not impossible to send via mail but if anyone knows otherwise then let me know as ive no access to a garden centre./ based in uk
 
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