If you see a few aphids, do not panic. Ladybugs will not stay in a garden that is 100% clean. They need a “base population” of pests to feed on and a reason to lay their eggs.
Allow a small amount of damage on your plants to serve as the “bait” that keeps your predators from moving to the neighbor’s yard.
2. Ditch the “Cides”
Even organic pesticides like Neem oil or insecticidal soaps can harm ladybug larvae. If you must treat a plant, try a “hard blast” of water from a hose first.
This physically knocks aphids off the plant (where they usually cannot climb back up) without harming the beneficial beetles or leaving toxic residues.
