 Gardening Software for
WaterWise, Xeriscape and Drought Tolerant Plantsthat incorporates Organic Gardening and Organic Pest Control |
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Extract from the Colourful WaterWise Gardening
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Ladybirds |
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 Ladybird on a rose leaf - body length 5mm/¼in.
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Predatory Insect Class: Insecta Order: Coleoptera Family: Coccinellidae Ladybirds, also known as ladybugs, are extremely important insects in organic gardening and organic pest control. With the exception of one small group of plant eating coccinellids, all other Australian varieties of ladybirds are carnivorous and beneficial to the gardener. Ladybirds and their larvae are voracious consumers of aphids, white fly, mealy bugs, mites and scale. The Australian ladybird Rodolia cardinalis was introduced into California to prevent the obliteration of citrus plantations by Cottony Cushion Scale ( Icerya purchasi ). Ladybirds range from yellow to black with the more common species orange to red in colour and black spotted. They are a small round beetle approximately 5mm (¼in) in length. One common ladybird larva is approximately 1cm (3/8in) long with an elongated, slender black body featuring 2 orange bands. A planting of the herb Santolina will attract ladybirds into the garden. Ladybirds prey on : Aphids, white fly, mealy bugs, mites and scale.
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| Text & Photos (unless otherwise stated) © Copyright Lyn Phillips 1999-2007 © Copyright Design The WaterWise Garden 1999-2007 ABN 94 911 811 923 All rights reserved. Unauthorised reproduction prohibited. Last Updated 01 Jul 2007 |
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