Ladybug Garden Houses

Winter Shelter

• During the winter months, the ladybug seeks a sheltered location. They often cluster beneath rocks or under logs. In some parts of the nation, ladybugs swarm by the thousands and enter homes to seek shelter. Homeowners can prevent the invasion of the beneficial insects by caulking any exterior cracks, installing weatherstripping and placing screens over access points. In the ladybug's search for shelter, it will readily accept a hand-constructed or commercial ladybug house.

Commercial and Home-constructed Houses

• Commercial ladybug houses usually have a honeycomb core that provides the insect with insulation from temperature fluctuations. Louvers allow the insect to enter the house but causes water to run away from the entrance holes. Usually constructed from wood, the houses can measure around 7 inches wide by 10 inches tall and 4 inches deep. Home-constructed ladybug houses often resemble a small birdhouse. Building a ladybug house can become an enjoyable endeavor for both children and adults.

Ladybug House Location

• Ladybug houses not only provide a secure and warm place for the ladybug to hibernate, but they also offer the insects a place to hide from spring and summer rains. Mount the ladybug house on a fence, pole or tree. Affix it close to the ground in the shelter of plants. Locating the house close to the insects' feeding area will help encourage the ladybugs to take up residency in the petite house.

Benefits

• One ladybug can eat 40 to 50 aphids per day according to the University of California. Garden centers often sell the beneficial insects to combat garden pests. Most ladybugs live approximately one year. Placing a ladybug house in the garden will help encourage the ladybug to continue living and reproducing in the landscape. When cold weather sets in, the ladybug enters a state of dormancy and often appears dead within the house. During the early spring months, the ladybugs will emerge from the house to mate and lay eggs. Upon hatching, the young ladybugs immediately begin to seek pest insects to consume.