Ladybug Facts | Natural Grocers

Ladybug and Other Beneficial Insect Facts

In some cultures, ladybugs are a symbol of good luck—something left to chance. At Natural Grocers, they symbolize something we can act on: the indispensable role of beneficial insects and the biodiversity they represent!

The future of food depends on protecting these invaluable creatures, yet their survival is increasingly at risk. That’s why each year we take the Lady Bug Love Pledge and invite you to do the same—to renew our commitment to protecting beneficial insects and biodiversity every day. This year, for every pledge, we’ll donate $1 (up to $25,000) to the Rodale Institute to support regenerative organic agriculture and its mission to restore biodiversity.

Read on to learn—or be reminded—why these tiny environmental champions are essential for the planet’s future good fortune. Then, pledge to help protect them.

Ladybug Fun Facts

How Many Pesky Insects Can One Tiny Ladybug Devour in Its Lifetime? As many as 5,000!!¹ Ladybugs are known for their aphid appetites, but these garden helpers feast on other pests, too, from leafhoppers and thrips to powdery mildew fungus!²
How to Attract Ladybugs - Attract the local (native) ladybugs to your garden by giving them water and a hiding place—like beneath oregano and thyme.² Love your ladybugs? Build them a house! As in, a little wooden box with holes, and include a treat, like raisins, to invite them in!

Aphids and ladybugs are real space cases—NASA has sent them there to observe how aphids would escape without gravity!¹
Many cultures consider ladybugs good luck, so it’s nice to know there are around 5,000 species of them spreading luck around the world!¹
They used to be called “beetle of Our Lady” by European farmers because they believed the Virgin Mary sent them to save their crops. That’s how the name ladybug eventually came to be!¹

Beneficial Insect Facts

Got Garden Pests? Get Ground Beetles! Colorado potato and cucumber beetles beware when the ground beetle is in town! Aphids, caterpillars, and (sometimes) slugs are also no match for this pest warrior.^{3 4} These prolific predators hunt at night and like to burrow into compost piles or mulch during the day.⁴

Insectary Plants - Attract beneficial insects to your garden with insectary flowering plants that provide food, shelter, and an invitation to stay.^{5 6}If your climate is typically moist, insectary plants like marigolds, and Bachelor’s button will beckon to the good bugs.⁵ The lovely Rocky Mountain Penstemon is a perennial insectary plant suited for dry climates! It’ll bring the hoverflies, ladybugs, and bees to the yard!⁵
Love Cranberries and Wildflowers? Show some love to the rusty patched bumblebee! Neonicotinoid pesticides are a significant threat to the rusty patched bumblebee. This North American native pollinator has declined by an estimated 87% of its historic range!⁷

Beneficial Insects Are Economically Important - They provide $4.4 billion-plus in pollination services to U.S. crops and over $6 billion in biological control services for pests and diseases. Help protect them by making your lawn, garden, and menu a hazardous pesticide-free zone!⁸

Keeping Your Pledge Is Easy!

Always buy 100% USDA Certified Organic Produce which supports sustainable farming practices that are good4u^SMand good4 the earth.
Never use chemical herbicides or pesticides, try alternatives such as corn gluten pre-emergent, beneficial insects, industrial strength vinegars & more.
Show your yard or garden some ladybug love by planting pollinator-friendly plants and vegetables.
If you use a yard service, switch to one that is organic and doesn't use glyphosate or other harmful chemical pesticides.
Talk to your yard service, school or municipality about changing from harmful chemical herbicides and pesticides to natural aternatives.

PLEDGE TODAY