- Author: Kathy Keatley Garvey
If there's anything better than one ladybug, it's two ladybugs.
And if there's anything better than two ladybugs, it's a cluster of ladybugs.
Our bee friendly garden is devoid of bees, but about 12 ladybugs are overwintering near the house. Some are in the artemsia bush, and others are in the folds of tangerine leaves.
Like postal carriers, they're weathering the driving rain, the bitter cold and the harsh winds. At times it seems like they're puppies cuddling to stay warm.
Ladybugs, aka ladybird beetles, aka lady beetles (family Coccinellidae) are beneficial bugs. They're predators and rid the garden of aphids, scale insects, mites, mealybugs and other soft-bodied insects.
Soon, as spring approaches, they'll do just that.