Meet the Ladybirds and lacewings
Ladybirds and lacewings are popular visitors to our outdoor spaces and particularly beloved of children. These tiny predators play important roles in controlling populations of plant eating bugs and have clever tricks for avoiding being eaten themselves.
What they need
- Both ladybirds and lacewings are predatory insects that feed on aphids, mites, and other insects. Being relaxed about having a few of these mini mini-beasts in your outside space is therefore key to being able to share it with lovely ladybirds and lacewings.
- Ladybirds and lacewings require suitable shelter to protect them from adverse weather conditions and predators. They often seek refuge in dense vegetation, leaf litter, and crevices in rocks or tree bark.
- Female lacewings lay their eggs on plants near aphid colonies, while ladybirds may lay eggs near aphids or on the undersides of leaves.
- Ladybirds and lacewings are susceptible to pesticides commonly used in gardens and agriculture, both through the loss of their food prey and through being poisoned themselves.
What you can do to help
- Plant a diverse variety of flowering plants, herbs, shrubs and trees to attract ladybirds and lacewings and give them places to feed and breed. As well as being predators, you might find ladybirds and lacewings feeding on nectar and pollen, especially when prey populations are low.
- The more varied and diverse the habitats across your and your neighbours outside spaces is, the more places these beautiful creatures have to hide away from harsh weather and predators. Green walls, living roofs, shrubs, trees, flower beds, dry stone walls, rockeries, dead hedges – all these and more will contribute to a rich mix of habitats.
- It’s actually fine and healthy to have some aphids on your veg and roses, and planting companion plants like nasturtiums can be a great way of distracting them from your most prized plants. If you really feel you have an infestation that needs controlling, opt for pesticide-free approaches like homemade soap sprays or just squishing them by hand!
- You might also find a lacewing hibernating in your house. That’s also fine as they’re perfectly harmless to you and your property. Just leave them be.
Fascinating facts
- Both ladybirds and lacewings undergo complete metamorphosis, starting as eggs, then growing through several larval stages called instars, before finally pupating and emerging as adults. The larvae of these insects are voracious predators, consuming large numbers of aphids and other tiny plant-eating bugs.
- Ladybirds often display bright colours such as red, orange, or yellow, serving as warning signals to predators that they are distasteful or toxic. This defence mechanism, known as aposematism, helps deter potential predators from attacking them.
- Some species of lacewings mimic the appearance of ants, wasps, or bees to deter predators. This mimicry, combined with their agile flight, helps lacewings avoid being eaten by predators while hunting for prey.
