Do any of you in the Alpharetta/Atlanta area know of a local source for lady bugs?
by
Christy M
+7
We've had quite an increase in aphids this year and were wondering if anyone had a local source for lady bugs or other organic solutions for the aphids?
10 answers
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You might try Farmer D in Atlanta.
360 Sod (Donna Dixson)
on Jun 04, 2012
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How about Scottsdale Farms in Johns Creek? Truthfully, I don't think much of adding ladybugs to an area. If you have lots of aphids, the population of native ladybugs will grow to comparable numbers without buying extra. Wasps and hornets are good aphid controls...as is a strong shot of water.
Walter Reeves
on Jun 04, 2012
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Walter, how do you feel about the soapy water solution?
Christy M
on Jun 10, 2012
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I like commercial insecticidal soap but do not recommend making up a solution yourself. Homemade solutions can hurt plants as well as insects.
Walter Reeves
on Jun 11, 2012
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Walter- I read online that just a tea spoon of dawn or other dish soap in a couple gallons of water can do the trick? Will the dish soap hurt other plants/good insects?
Christy M
on Jun 11, 2012
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Remember that Dawn is a detergent, not a soap....and these two substances are not the same thing. Both are effective at dissolving oils but detergents are much more aggressive. Dawn is great for cleaning a spaghetti pot but it can also dissolve the cells on a plant leaf. Soaps are milder....but even soaps can harm plants, because you don't know the fats and oils that were used to make the soap. Some might hurt plants, some might not. Commercial insecticidal soaps are manufactured and tested to be safe and effective. Why not use them and not risk plant harm?
Walter Reeves
on Jun 12, 2012
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Christy M, when aphids became a problem here I bought ladybugs. They obviously didn't think I had enough aphids because they all flew away for a better place.
Sherrie S
on Jun 15, 2012
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I found some organic insecticidal soap at big box store... going to let the hubby try it out and see!
Christy M
on Jun 20, 2012
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To answer your original question, Pike's Nursery has lady bugs.
TLC Lawn Care
on Jun 30, 2015
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just be sure the ones you get for the job are RED ladybugs, not the yellow ones that bite, attack, and eat the red ones. These are imported from overseas to fill the demand for ladybugs, but are a pest rather than a benefit. We had them here in Ohio and they were awful...they seem to have diminished, although so have the genuine red ladybugs.
Wp.1978794
on Aug 17, 2015
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