As agronomists, its always important to work with nature. After two mild winters in a row, 7 spotted ladybird (Cocinella Septempuncta) numbers have exploded and, when considering IPM (intergrated pest management), it's important to choose products that are kind to beneficials.
The life cycle of the ladybird usually lasts one year. They overwinter in sheltered areas, grass tussocks, bark, corners of buildings and then emerge in spring to mate. They lay their eggs in early summer and pupate in mid-summer, with adults emerging in the late summer. Both the larva and the adults are voracious predators of aphids and as such are a welcome addition to any flowering commercial crop in which they help in controlling virus-carrying aphids such as Peach potato (Myzus Persicae) and Grain aphids (Sitobion Avenae).
