Q & A

Welcome to the Planet Natural Garden Forum! Whether you’re new to gardening or have been at it for some time, here you can search existing messages for answers to your questions or post a new message for others to reply to. If this is your first visit, please read over our forum instructions carefully before posting. Enjoy!

  • Ladybugs & Nematodes

    Created by Michael on June 29, 2016 at 11:33 am

    Hello –

    Can your beneficial nematodes and ladybugs be used together to fight pests? Also, do you have the beetles available year round?

    Thanks!

  • Author
    Posts
  • June 29, 2016 at 4:07 pm #203112

    Eric Vinje
    Keymaster

    You bet these two “good bugs” can be used together! Best of all, they provide a nice one-two punch when doing battle with many garden pests. Here’s how:

    Not only are Ladybugs a favorite with most home gardeners, but they go to work above ground feeding on a whole slew of soft-bodied pests (providing they’re not too quick!) and insect eggs. Beneficial Nematodes on the other hand do their dirty work underground (or in dark, moist environments) where they seek out and destroy more than 230 insect pests. Often they attack the immature stages (larvae, pupae) of a pest’s life cycle. An insect that spends part of its life cycle underground and another part above ground receive a double dose of control, as ladybugs attack growth stages that exist above the soil and nematodes attack the growth stages that thrive below the soil surface. For example, ladybugs will feed on cucumber beetle eggs while nematodes wreak havoc on the pupal stage.

    Hope this helps!

  • Author
    Posts

You must be logged in to reply to this topic.