Each batch of 30-50 eggs is supplied inside a small compostable container, attached to a piece of paper towel. Eggs are dated to indicate when they were laid and will hatch 4-6 days after being laid.
After purchasing ladybird eggs, keep them in the container at room temperature, avoiding extremes of heat and cold. When the orange eggs begin to turn grey then black this indicates that the larvae are hatching.
After hatching, the tiny black ladybird larvae will sit in a group for about half a day before beginning to disperse to find food. Ladybird larvae are cannibalistic so it is important that they are attached to a food source soon after hatching. Try to do this after they've hatched but before they begin to disperse. Take care not to touch the larvae.
Simply peg paper onto a pest infested plant and let the little ladybird larvae do the rest. Once the larvae have been released into a pest hotspot you can observe their development as they clean up the target pest. The larvae will grow and moult several times before pupating and emerging as adult ladybirds. The aim is not to completely eradicate insect pests but to maintain them at a lower level that is not damaging your plants.
Ladybirds will consume a range of common garden pests including aphids, mealy bugs, scale, white fly, caterpillar eggs and many more!
Ladybirds are very effective predators of aphids but they may be harmed by pesticides. Direct spraying of infested plants and drift of pesticides from neighbouring areas should be avoided.
Price is per container - each one contains approximately 30-50 ladybird eggs.
Please bring your container and/or lid back into the store for reuse.
The ladybird species is Common Spotted Ladybird, Harmonia conformis.
Danica McCorduodale is an entomologist and researcher at UWA. Prompted by her friend, Kirstie Pupazzoni who runs Kids Nature Club, she started breeding insects for education in 2020 to keep herself busy while being a stay at home parent to two young boys. She breeds the ladybirds in enclosures on the kitchen bench at her Como home. She also sells hugely popular ladybird lifecycle kits to schools.
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