By: Tig Kabia
tig@heartwoodtree.com
Convergent Lady Bird Beetles (released on a Camellia loaded with Tea Scale) are voracious predators of aphids, Scale crawlers, whiteflies, mites, and other soft-bodied insects. For example, each adult comes up to 5,000 aphids/insects.
Within 8-10 days of the release, each female will lay around 10-50 eggs daily on the underside of leaves. In 2-5 days, the black and orange larvae emerge, which will consume 50-60 aphids/insects per day. After 21 days, the life cycle is complete, and the next generation of preadators the is established in the landscape. As a result, pest control is achieved without a drop of pesticide.
