Ladybugs: the most popular way to control aphids in your garden.

Typically, Ladybugs eat over 5,000 Aphids and other soft-bodied pests during their one-year lifetime. Ladybugs are one of the few beneficial insects that can be stored, dormant, in the refrigerator for up to a few weeks, depending on the time of year, as long as they don't freeze or dry out. This allows you to use a few at a time, as needed.

After purchasing your package of live ladybugs, leave the bag sealed and place them in a refrigerator, or other cool place. This calms ladybugs down from their shipping experience.

Early evening is the best time to release ladybugs, and gives them all night to settle in, find food and water, and realize they've found a good home (your garden).

Ladybugs are usually thirsty from their long journey and storage, and appreciate moist places to drink. If necessary, sprinkle some water around first before their release. Later on, they'll get most of their moisture needs from eating aphids and other "juicy" plant pests.

How do I keep them from flying away?

You may want to lightly, lightly mist, not drown, them . Mist the ladybugs with a solution of water with a bit of cola/soda mixed in. Possible one part cola to 3 parts water. Mist with a spray bottle. This may make their wings sticky and make it more difficult for them to fly away. If the ladybugs stay for a few days, they may lay eggs, if the eggs hatch the you have a habitat.

Adding a Ladybug House to your garden will give the ladybugs a safe place to spend the night and protect them from predators, wind and rain. When they land on the upward slanted louvers, they will naturally crawl up and into the honeycomb material inside the house. This provides a similar shelter to what ladybugs naturally seek: secure places under loose bark, between leaves or under garden litter.  Other beneficial insects may also use the Ladybug House. Green lacewings are also a voracious predator of aphids and will find the Ladybug House attractive. The Ladybug House may be mounted almost anywhere in the garden, including on the side of a fence or on a tree trunk. For the ideal location to attract ladybugs, the house can be mounted near the ground (but not on it), and close to where they will find aphids or other insects to eat. Includes mounting screws.