Many years ago (actually it was 1992, the first months of being in business), I had my first proud shipment of antique roses in place ready to sell. I walked out one March morning a month after they had arrived and noticed that they were covered in aphids! My first instinct was to spray them with the recommended pesticides I still had in stock - malathion and orthene. They were not doing the job and in the meanwhile, I was getting sick each time they were applied. I resorted to having the young man working for me do the applications. No success. It was then suggested to me to release the beneficial insects, ladybugs and green lacewings to take care of them. I did so. Three days later, all of the aphids were gone!

I learned quickly that certain plants attracted aphids–roses, daylilies and butterfly weed being the most common culprits. Very early on Monday mornings you can find me ordering plants for the week. Quite often, I would notice that the daylilies were covered in aphids. I would fetch a bag or two of ladybugs from the refrigerator, sprinkle them amongst the daylilies, return a couple of days later, and see no aphids. How much easier can it be!

When our grandchildren were much younger, we would always have an Easter egg hunt amongst the plants at our Arlington store. One April morning, the picnic table that our employees use at lunchtime was covered with thousands of ladybug larvae. These little “gators” eat more aphids that the adult ladybug. I was quite amazed.

So to those who say that the ladybugs fly away…these larvae, the accumulation of many years of releasing ladybugs to take care of those pesky aphids in the retail store, are proof positive that they will stay to help take care of your garden for generations to come!