How To Attract Ladybugs To Your Garden

Ladybugs are beautiful and unique-looking creatures. Their black and red spotted pattern makes them easy to identify. They are considered good luck by some, and are one of the few flying insects people actually enjoy seeing. There is good reason to enjoy ladybugs, as they are some of the most beneficial insects you can have in your garden. Since these bugs are so desirable, you should do all you can to lure more of them into your yard.

The best way to lure ladybugs to your garden is to attract aphids, their favorite food, by using strategically placed “decoy” plants in the garden. You should also add various flower and herb species that ladybugs enjoy, including dill, cilantro, chives, marigolds, and calendula. Ladybugs need water, so provide small pools of water. For protection, provide ground cover, including low-growing plants, mulch, and rocks. You can even build a ladybug house.

If you have a yard, then you want ladybugs in it. They are one of the best natural pesticides on the planet, especially if you have struggled to control aphids in the past. These effective pollinators are one of the best ways to ensure your garden thrives in all four seasons. If you live somewhere with these insects, but don’t have many in your garden, then keep reading to learn all the ways to make your garden more attractive to ladybugs.

Why Are Ladybugs Good For Home Gardens?

If you are wondering if ladybugs are really important to your garden, the answer is — absolutely! Ladybugs are an amazing natural pest control. In particular, they love to eat aphids, which are tiny bugs that can kill plants quickly if left unchecked. Each ladybug can eat upwards of 50 of these pests per day.

Ladybugs are also effective pollinators, which is critical when you need your plants to reproduce. They help keep your current plants alive and ensure there will be new generations, which makes them one of the best insects to have in any garden.

12 Great Ways To Attract More Ladybugs To Your Garden

1. Use Natural Pest Control Methods Instead Of Pesticides

If you want to attract ladybugs to your yard, then you should avoid using strong pesticides or any chemical bug killers. While they are easy to use and kill lots of plant-eating insects, they are harmful to your garden’s ecosystem. 

Pesticides can kill ladybugs, and even if they don’t kill them, they make your yard less desirable. Ladybugs need bugs to eat and co-exist with. Instead of using strong pesticides, use natural sprays and other less invasive pest control methods. This will ensure ladybugs are comfortable and safe in your garden.

2. Attracts Aphids With ‘Decoy’ Plants

Ladybugs might enjoy nectar and random tiny insects, but their favorite food by far is aphids. Aphids are small sap-sucking bugs that can be found on stems and under leaves of plants. You don’t want them on your plants, because these pests can destroy your garden. But you do want them in your garden to attract ladybugs.

To find a happy balance between protecting your garden from aphids and also attracting ladybugs, you should add decoy plants. Decoy plants are plants that aphids love that you plant away from your main garden. This provides a food source for ladybugs, but keeps the pests away from your main garden. 

3. Provide A Water Source

In addition to food, ladybugs need a consistent source of water. These tiny bugs love it when there are shallow and protected pools of water for them to access. To make this a reality, place small dishes of water under large leaves in your garden. Any shallow water source will do. Ensure these dishes are filled whenever you water your garden.

4. Create A Dense Garden With Few Gaps

Ladybugs have a lot of predators, and they aren’t the fastest flying insects either. Therefore, these insects like shelter and protection wherever they can find it. One great way to provide ladybugs with protection is to plant a garden with fewer gaps. 

Plant vegetables with large leaves, including summer squash and zucchini, as this protects ladybugs from flying predators. 

5. Plant Diverse Flower Species

In addition to their love of aphids, ladybugs also love colorful, fragrant, and nectar-filled flowers. Ladybugs, after all, are one of the best pollinators for your garden, so you must have flowers to attract them.

Plant a variety of flowers, as the more shapes, colors, and sizes you have, the more likely you are to attract pollinators, including ladybugs. You should also choose a diverse selection, so there are always flowers blooming. If you have colorful flowers blooming throughout the year, then ladybugs always have a reason to come to your garden.

6. Add Herbs To Your Flower Garden

Ladybugs might be pollinators, but they are attracted to more than just colorful flowers. These insects are also very attracted to several herbs. If you don’t have an herb garden yet, use your desire to attract ladybugs as an excuse to start one.

Some herbs that ladybugs love include dill, fennel, cilantro, and chives. Planting these herbs will make your yard more desirable to these insects. 

7. Incorporate Ground Cover Plants For Protection

Another way to protect ladybugs and provide them with a shelter, and even a home, is to plant more low-lying plants. When you plant crawling ground-cover plants, ladybugs can hide near the ground and also shelter themselves during the hottest part of the day.

Herbs like oregano and the edible flower nasturtium are both great ground cover options.

8. Add Mulch To Your Garden

There are a lot of reasons why you should add a good type of mulch to your garden. Mulch protects your plant’s roots, controls soil temperature, and helps retain much-needed moisture for your plants. Mulch can also act as a home and hiding place for ladybugs. 

Opt for a chunky wood mulch to ensure there are plenty of tiny crevices for ladybugs to hide in.

9. Build A Ladybug House

If you love DIY experiments, then try building a makeshift ladybug house. A ladybug house is simple to make, and the idea is you lure them in with intoxicating smells and protect them by using specific-sized holes that predators can’t enter.

Use a small box, and place a sugary liquid inside, or even ripe fruit. Place the box in a sheltered area in the garden, like under a large squash leaf. Alternatively, you can build a ladybug house with natural materials using sticks and stacked pinecones. 

10. Plant The Right Flowers

If you are specifically trying to attract ladybugs, and not other pollinators, then you should ensure you plant their favorite flowers. Some flowers that ladybugs love include marigolds, calendula, yarrow, sunflowers, cone flowers, and milkweed. 

Ladybugs like flowers that are rich in pollen. Therefore, ensure you have plenty of these types of flowers in your garden if you want to see more of these polka-dotted insects.

11. Add Rock Piles

Another great way to provide ladybugs with homes and protection is to feature rock piles in or near the garden. If you can line your garden with a small rock wall, this is ideal. You can also use types of gravel in place of mulch in certain areas.

Rock piles are a great way to give ladybugs sanctuary. Rocks can also help protect root systems and combat erosion, making them an ideal option for those in areas with heavy rainfall.

12. Find A Warm Garden Location With Sun And Shade

You must know what your plants require when you select a garden location. You should also consider what the entire garden ecosystem needs. Try to choose a spot with plenty of sun, but also some shade, especially if you live in a hot climate. 

Ladybugs don’t like the cold, as they are cold-blooded, so the sun is great. But they also get lethargic when it’s too hot. Plant your garden where there are some shady areas, either underneath the plants or shade coming from nearby trees above. Providing ladybugs with an ideal microclimate will increase the likelihood that they will stick around.

Final Notes On How To Attract Ladybugs To Your Garden

Ladybugs are one of the best insects for your garden. They help pollinate your plants and are some of the best natural pest controllers on the planet. If you have aphids, then you need ladybugs to help keep these pests in check. 

To attract more ladybugs to your garden, plant decoy plants for aphids, and ensure you only use natural pest control methods. Plant herbs and flowers that ladybugs love, and ensure there is ground cover, so they have places to hide. You can build a makeshift ladybug house, and even add small shallow dishes of water to ensure they have a food source.

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