Look out for the Lady Beetles!

When I got home the other day, my front porch was overrun with ladybugs (multi-colored Asian lady beetles). I went to my mother’s house to pick up my children and her house was overrun with the pesky little beetles as well. I wondered what caused such a sudden outburst of ladybugs and my mom said that it was because the farmers in the area were cutting soybeans. When I asked her why that had anything to do with the beetles, she wasn’t sure of the answer. She just heard that when farmers cut soybeans, it disturbs the ladybugs. However, it did seem weird to me that there was a huge correlation that the farmers in the area were cutting soybeans and suddenly there are tons of ladybugs.

I decided to do some brief research and ask a few different people and I found out that ladybugs control the aphids on soybeans. Now it all made sense! When the farmers cut the soybeans it obviously disturbs the ladybugs and that is why they are all over my front porch.

The ladybug in not a native to North America and was originally brought over from Australia to control aphids on orange trees and other crops. The ladybug has no natural predator in the United States and that is why there are so many of them. They also have some sort of mechanism in their bodies that keep them from freezing. I was told that if you put a ladybug in water completely submerged, froze it, and then let it de-thaw naturally, the little beetle would de thaw and crawl away. I may have to try this.

For more information on the Multi-colored Asian Lady Beetles, click here.

Autumn and Wild Birds

Now is the time to get your yard and yourself ready for the wild birds this winter.
Cleaning. First, clean out your nesting boxes and put a little grass or nesting material such as nesting hair in it for the birds to cuddle up in. Then check yourfeeders and bird baths. Make sure they are clean and ready to be used for another season. If you had a garden or flower beds this summer, here is a cheap way to feed some birds. Just leave the plants in your garden and beds until spring, the wild birds will enjoy feeding on the left over vegetables and seed heads.
Start offering feed to the birds now. They will be scouting out places where food will be available when the cold weather hits. If you’re not offering water and seed now you may not see any wild birds this winter. Birds will scout this fall and remember the places that had seed and water available and return to those places when their natural food supply is scarce. If you wait until winter to supply seed and water the birds may not realize your yard has anything to offer. When the cold weather hits the birds will tend to stay in the areas where they know that food is available.
Don’t forget the water. It can be hard for birds to find fresh unfrozen water, so also provide water near your feeders. You may need a heated bird bath if you live in an area when the temperature is often below freezing. Make sure to keep your water clean.
Start feeding now so you can enjoy the birds all winter long.