It’s that time of the year when you may find your garden invaded by pests, which will destroy all the work you’ve put into creating your perfect green space. However, by attracting just one insect species to your garden, you can prevent this damage and keep the aphid population in control.
Horticulturist Nick Wood at GardeningExpress.co.uk has named ladybirds as a gardener’s best friend. He highlights that these striking red insects help keep populations of aphids, greenfly and scale insects under control without the need for chemical sprays. Without attracting ladybirds to your garden, you may find the pest population spiralling.
Both adult ladybirds and their larvae feed on the soft-bodied insects commonly blamed for damaging garden plants, including roses, vegetables, and fruit trees.
A single ladybird can even consume dozens of aphids a day, making them one of the most effective natural pest control solutions available.
Most ladybird species are carnivorous, so they won’t need to munch on any of your plants either. Even the few that do eat plants don’t typically cause much damage, meaning your hard work won’t go to waste.
Nick said: “Ladybirds are one of the best natural pest control methods we have in the UK. Inviting them to your garden will help reduce the need for chemical sprays, protect your plants and support local wildlife at the same time.
“Creating a bug-friendly garden doesn’t mean letting it go wild – small changes like planting the right flowers or leaving a log pile can make a big difference.”
How to attract ladybirds to your garden
Grow the right plants
Herbs like dill and fennel, as well as flowers such as marigolds, nasturtiums and yarrow, are known to bring aphids into your garden, so while planting them may sound counterproductive, they will in turn attract ladybirds into your green space too.
Nick recommends interplanting these with your veg or flowers to create a natural pest control cycle that will keep your plants healthier in the long run.
Leave a little mess
If your garden is too tidy, it may deter insects, such as ladybirds, that help keep the aphid population under control.
Leaving some piles of dry leaves, logs, or even just having a messy corner will give ladybirds a place to hide from predators and find shelter. This will keep them in your garden come winter, when they’ll be searching for insulated spots to hibernate until next spring.
Add a bug hotel
Incorporating a bug hotel into your garden will give ladybirds and other beneficial insects a secure place to nest and rest. Just ensure that your bug house is in a sunny, sheltered spot, ideally near flowering plants or vegetable beds where aphids are likely to appear.
Let your garden go wild
“Leaving a section of your garden to grow wild – with native wildflowers, longer grass, and flowering weeds like dandelions and clover – creates a mini-ecosystem that supports all sorts of beneficial wildlife,” says Nick.
“A more diverse garden attracts a wider range of insects, including ladybirds, which are more likely to stick around when food and habitat are abundant.”