How to raise ladybugs in the vegetable garden

How to breed ladybugs in the garden

The ladybugs (Coccinellidae Latreille, 1807) are a family of insects belonging to the order of the Coleoptera (suborder Polyphaga, infraorder Cucujiformia, superfamily Cucujoidea), present all over the world with about 6,000 species; let’s see how to raise ladybugs in the garden or other useful insects.
The ladybugs are very useful insects in agriculture as they feed on other insects (entomophagi) are excellent predators of the parasites that infest the tree and horticultural plants.
The upper part of the ladybug’s body is colored (the best known ones are bright red with black dots).

Ladybugs are entomophagous even in the larva state and eliminate considerable amounts of aphids and other insects (including cochineals).
In a respectful agriculture of the ecosystem (as all agriculture should be) we must therefore create the conditions that attract the ladybug among our crops.
To do this we must cultivate in the farm (or do not destroy) plants that attract these insects. Some brassicas, in particular cauliflower and broccoli, are very useful in this regard, and they are very much appreciated by ladybugs. For this reason it is advisable not to remove the cauliflower stalk after harvesting, in order to leave it as a plant attracts coccinelle. Other plants preferred by ladybugs are the calendula, the potentilla and the dandelion, the horseradish and the thyme. Even nettles attract ladybugs, as well as being useful as an insecticide and natural fertilizer.
By the way, if you want to breed ladybugs like many useful insects, forget about the use of chemistry in your company.
This is why agriculture can not be done if these dynamics are known.