• TammyTobacco@lemmy.world
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    1 month ago

    FYI everyone, importing ladybugs can be very harmful to the native population.

    Ladybugs have evolved to their environment to a crazy degree, and bringing in outside ladybug species can pass on pathogens, parasites, or out compete native populations for food. The imported ladybugs generally are from California and won’t survive your local winter, so by adding ladybugs this year you might be reducing their numbers in coming years which starts a harmful cycle.

    My point is, buy green lacewings or assassin bugs or something else from Arbico Organics or Nature’s Good Guys. There are plenty of predators that are a better choice than ladybugs.

    • smeg@feddit.uk
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      1 month ago

      imported ladybugs generally are from California

      I doubt they’re shipping them across the Atlantic when there are breeders all over the world!