Why Buying Ladybugs Rarely Works for Pest Control

The Dispersal Problem

Released ladybugs almost always fly away within days, leaving your garden unchanged. They don't stay where you put them.

Better Approach: Support Native Beneficials

• Blast pests with water: A strong spray knocks off aphids, mites, and other soft-bodied insects.
• Provide habitat: Diverse plantings attract and retain native ladybugs, lacewings, and parasitic wasps.
• Avoid broad-spectrum insecticides: They kill the good bugs along with the bad.

Bottom Line

Save your money. Build a resilient garden ecosystem instead of buying insects that won't stay.