20 March 2023

Customer Question – Releasing Ladybirds and Washing Up Liquid

Q. “Hi, I have just sprayed my rose bushes that are already heavily infested with aphids using a mixture of washing up liquid and water. Can I order the ladybird larvae now or should I wait before doing so, and if so, for how long? You  say “for use under glass,” “for clearing heavy infestations of pests in greenhouses / conservatories” but also “for release in the garden / greenhouse / conservatory.” So, can I place them in the garden? Are the larvae affected by rainfall? Will they fall off if we have a heavy downpour?” Kind regards, Donna

A. Thanks for the message and washing up liquid won’t affect ladybirds, so you are safe to release Ladybirds as soon as you want. If your spray works too well then there may not be enough food for them, so wait and see if there are any aphids left and then if there are we have Ladybirds available if you need them. They are mainly used at this time of year under-glass due to temperature, but you can use aphids as a guide i.e. if it warm enough for aphids then you are fine to release ladybird larvae outdoors. Our ladybirds are UK bred, so they are used to rain, so it won’t affect the. I hope this helps Kind regards Jon

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