I've got a small redbud tree covered in aphids, so it's also covered with lady bugs (and some are no ladies!). I see the yellow egg bunches where some of the lady bugs have already layed eggs.

Should I just leave well enough alone and wait for the eggs to hatch? Can I remove some of the aphids without harming the lady bug eggs? Do you know how long they take to hatch?

Angie

PS - Hope everyone weathered last night's storm alright! We had to take cover, but were spared any damage.

We and the girls and the garden were spared the Ft. Worth tornado last night, but we have been worried about our friends out there in the line of Arlington's twister. Glad to hear you guys are ok Angie.
About those 'no ladies' ... come post that shot. My oldest has renamed it as a scene from the 'playbug channel'. And why does he have no spots???
Red buds are so tuff, I wouldn't worry about it. They re-seed like mad in this garden so I am constantly digging them up. If I don't get the entire root, they come right back. The leaves might get a bit ratty looking, but not to worry about it surviving. Some folks lure aphids away from treasures by installing nasturtiums for bait, then dispose of the nasties. Oh sacrilege - I consider the nasties treasures!
Go ahead Angie, trash up this board and post that spotless playbug.
:-)
Maggie

Good Morning! My husband and I survived the storm but our cars, unfortunately, did not. We were about a mile from the tornado and got softball hail dents everywhere, including the windshields! Oh well, at least my flowers at the house are fine! And we all know that's important!
Ladybugs take 2-3 weeks from egg to adult stage so it won't be long before the larvae are gobbling up the aphids. I'd leave them be and enjoy their feasting even more when they come out! The no spotted beetles are the Harmonia lady beetle. They are an Asian variety that have naturalized in Texas.

Thanks, Gail. I'm glad you're OK but sorry to hear about your cars.



Thanks for the info on the bugs. I looked them up and, in case anyone else is wondering, the Harmonia lady bugs can be distinguished by the large amount of white coloration on their "heads" (not really their heads but you know what I mean). You can see the coloration better in this photo.

Ya know, this is all very interesting, but have you ever thought that they might be a litte bothered by the "porn" cam and the to close, close-up? Ohh, I guess thats what the Aliens do, so think twice when you belive nobody is watching!
;)

I can see it now ... ETs looking down upon us lower life forms, deciding whether or not to eliminate our oil resources:

"They're destroying the environment with their oil driven industry."
"Yes, but without oil products, the entire civilization would collapse."
"Well then, that would minimize their numbers and solve the population explosion, which is on the eve of destroying the culture as it is anyway. Cutting off oil access would halt overpopulation and save the planet."
"Right then, ... an end to their oil mining, it is."

Sci fi, politics and sex,,, what is this board coming to? Don't anyone mention the R word!

Ah, Yes to walk outside in the Spring and enjoy a Tornado that comes over you house to land on the ground 3-4 miles away....To enjoy the insects mating rituals.....to enjoy the CANKERWORMS silk treads from the trees that gets in your hair and the worms crawl around on the back of your NECK!!!
Yes, Spring in Texas is such fun!! David

Glad you guys missed a trip to Oz too, David.
And how about those fire ants, now joining the spring parade. Wouldn't it be nice if the tornados lifted them off, back south of the border were they belong!
For our non-Texas-resident visitors, here's a site from our links page that illustrates our enemy well. It also leads to tons of info for those of us who must learn to live with them.

http://entowww.tamu.edu/extension/reward.html

Anyone using Nolo and/or bene nematodes seen any decline in their fire ant invasions?

Oh, and don't forget the mosquitoes. It isn't spring in Texas until the mosquitoes are sucking your blood! Saw/heard/felt my first ones of the year on Tuesday (pre-storm, of course).

PS - I don't have a single potted plant in my front yard that isn't full of ants. They're everywhere this year. I'm not sure if they're fire ants because I haven't messed with them enough to get bitten.

The best thing I have found for Fire Ants is dry-molasses. I would sprinkle some on your planted pots and chase them out of the pots. Then you can treat the mound with orange oil. The Molasses drives them CRAZY!! they will move over nite.
Mosquitoes on the other hand will need a BAT house. The bats will eat there weight in insects every night.Other than that encourage bio-diversity.

Yes Angie, our skeeters were already out this last weekend. It was so warm that the anole lizards were even basking. There were also 6 different kinds of butterflies and the night moths have already found the white blooms. Let's see, Monarch, Tiger Swallowtail, Admiral, Fritillary, a checkerspot and my favorite, the Angeled Wing Comma.
I don't know where our bat lives David, but she dive bombs the swimming pool every summer evening at dusk, scooping up a drink with each pass. Bit un-nerving to guests in the pool. Her radar works well enough to avoid us, but they still cringe, duck and squirm! Oh They of little faith.

I Want A Bat!!!! If she brings relatives, send them to my house for a visit!

I've had good luck with the bennies controlling the fire ants around my garden. Unfortunately, they only did so for about 2 years so it's time for another batch because they are loving the freshly potted plant containers also....of course, those containers would be ones I stole from Maggie! Anyone want to come help me tear down a 40 foot perennial bed and dig up more grass? Has anyone ever used a sod cutter - the rentable, mechanical kind?

After the last two killer summers, I was sure my bene nematodes all croaked in parched earth and reapplied them last month in these wonderful spring monsoons. Found a huge cut worm yesterday that definately seems to have fallen victim all ready. Hooray!
I'll be right over to help you Gail, soon as I get all caught up in my garden. Best not to wait on me!
I'm going to try David's favorite dry molasses trick on the pot plants. Think I saw some at Mike's in Edgecliff and of course Marshall Grain.

Crowley Feed has it also if you don't want to drive all the way to Marshall Grain...hmmm, bet they have bennies....I should go now....

Gail: Thanks for the great plug! Wonderful website, glad my wife Peggy found it for me. By the way, all our "bennies" are in stock now and ready to go to work for you. Dan @ Crowley Feed

Well, I'm glad to find out 'bout ya too Dan. See you there soon! Maggie