Ladybugs!

Because I was absolutely thrilled to see so many ladybugs in the field today (looking quite content living in a few patches of weeds), I got to thinking about what more can be done to help these little guys out. 

Attracting beneficial insects, like ladybugs, is an important principle of organic farming/gardening, as these little guys have incredible appetites for aphids.  This goes hand in hand with companion planting (a topic for another day!), interplanting crops with different types of plants that serve to attract and/or repel certain critters.  For now, this means interplanting with plants that ladybugs find particularly appealing. 


Plants to attract ladybugs:

• Feverfew
• Cilantro
• Butterfly weed (Asclepias)
• Dill
• Fennel
• Cornflower (Centaurea cyanus)
• Yarrow
• Queen Anne's Lace (Daucus carota)
• Tansy (Tanacetum vulgare)
• Cosmos

Luckily for me (and everyone else who loves flowers) most of these plants also make excellent cut flowers as well!