Talking Lady Beetles with Ken Johnson

In this episode I talk to Ken Johnson from the University of Illinois Extension about Asian Lady Beetles, and Lady Beetles in general.
Ken Johnson is the Horticulture Educator with University of Illinois Extension. His educational efforts focus on fruit and vegetable production, pest management, and beneficial insects. Through his programming efforts, he aims to increase backyard food production and foster a greater appreciation of insects. He is one of the authors of the "Good Growing" Blog and one of the "Good Growing" Podcast hosts.
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[@mrcorey]

I haven't seen any native ladybugs since I moved to New Brunswick. When we got this house, south of Fredericton, it was infested with lady beetles. They crawl into the walls every fall. When it gets warm, they come out and try to get back outside. I have dealt with thousands.

[@ctimms417]

I had a miserable time with aphids this summer on my peppers. Because of the pepper maggot, I have to grow my peppers under insect netting. Well, I wasn't paying attention and my peppers got inundated with aphids. Of course, because the insect netting was so great at keeping out the pepper maggot fly, it was also effective at keeping out the beneficials like lady beetles and the aphids just thrived. Party time in the pepper patch! I got rid of most of the aphids with soapy water and a strong blast of the hose but my peppers looked pretty sad for awhile with lots of leaf drop. From that moment onwards, whenever I found a lady beetle elsewhere in the garden, I'd carefully carry him to my peppers and stick him under the insect netting. It wasn't long before better balance was established in the pepper bed. Next year, I'll be sure to monitor things much earlier.
Interestingly, late in the summer, my asparagus bed which is right beside my pepper bed also got hammered with aphids. I didn't touch them and it wasn't long before the lady beetles showed up and took over in huge numbers. I went full on nerd discovering the various instar stages of the larvae, pupa, and the adults all together. Every morning I'd go out to the asparagus patch to check on my lady beetle family and took great delight in seeing the aphid population dwindle as the lady beetles went about their business.
Yep, they were the Asian variety but I was just happy to have them.

[@maritimegardening4887]

I agree - it is so important top be be proactive before things get too bad.

[@suzanneramsay7757]

I really enjoyed this interview. lady birds, wow. great to hear the history too...thanks

[@maritimegardening4887]

Thanks for listening

[@lindataylor7718]

Thanks so much for this. Love the science. You ask great questions.

[@maritimegardening4887]

Thanks

[@nobblynobody]

we don't have talking ones over here in the uk, just normal ones

[@katherinegolightly271]

Here in Hamilton, when the Lady Beetles populations have been really high they start biting humans to see if we're edible, which is a little disturbing :)

[@maritimegardening4887]

Yikes!