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Garden journal entry

 

June 18, 2009. Ladybugs for father's day, how cool is that? My dear wife, unsatisfied with the mundane gift suggestions I came up with when asked what the kids should get me for dad's day, decided that 1500 ladybugs was just the ticket. They arrived a few days early, so yesterday evening I got to walk all around the garden, dropping a few of the colorful beetles here and there. According to the instructions, I was to deposit a dozen or so at the base of each aphid-infested plant - but I neither knew of over a hundred such plants, nor did I have the patience for careful bug deposition, so I just strolled around, shaking the mesh bag wherever the mood struck me. They didn't seem to mind the treatment, and went about their ways exploring their new environment without looking back. I hope they stick around, and build up a new community in our garden. These "convergent ladybugs" (Hippodamia convergens) are a different species from the ones we typically find in our garden (mostly Harmonia axyridis, the Asian lady beetle), with a narrower body, duller darker red coloration, and more consistent spot pattern.
I noticed a few today on a little walk through the garden - so with some luck, this will be a gift that keeps on giving!


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Last modified: September 09, 2009
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