Although beetles are not among our favorite insects, ladybugs are the exception, being usually looked upon with love. They are also friends of gardeners and farmers because their presence in the garden is extremely beneficial.
In general, ladybugs like to eat aphids, or lice – some tiny, soft-bodied insects that devour garden and field crops. Some adult ladybugs can consume thousands of aphids during their lifetime; even their larvae have a great appetite. In addition, ladybugs feed on many other harmful insects. There are species that also eat various fungi that attack the plants.
Towards the end of the 19th century, Australian lice (Icerya purchasi) were accidentally brought to California. This pest has spread so rapidly that it threatened to destroy all citrus orchards and the related industry. Knowing that in their native country, these lice were no danger to crops, an entomologist went to Australia to look for their natural enemies and found out about Rodolia cardinalis, from the ladybugs family. About 500 ladybugs were brought to California by ship, and, in one year, the lice were almost extinct and the citrus orchards saved.
However, Harmonia axyridis, a very voracious ladybug species is an exception. When its favorite food source is depleted and considering that it has no natural enemies, this hungry insect begins to devour indigenous ladybugs and other insects beneficial for agriculture. Get detail at https://www.therichlawncompany.com/ask-the-plant-doc/ along with other gardening tips and directives.
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