Lady bug swarm in Colorado

[Liberal_in_LA]

http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/us/2009/07/11/vanderveen.ladybug.infestation.kusa

[jwirr]

1. They should sell them to areas that do not have enough of those

good little ladies.

[Frustratedlady]

9. We've had problems with lady bug wannabees (Japanese beetles)

in the Midwest. They look like lady bugs, but are awful pests. If you touch them, the spray an oily, stinky liquid from the tail end and they will bite.

On warm winter days, they suddenly appear in the house. I've never figured out how they do that.

I hope they are real lady bugs, as they are beneficial. These wannabees are not welcome.

[annabanana]

12. I wish I had some... The local nursery's batch all died and I gots

dinner for a whole bunch of ladybugs on my roses...

[baldguy]

2. .

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xr8vUTm64h0

[Liberal_in_LA]

4. it's scary that you knew that video existed. lol. cute though

[Liberal_in_LA]

3. good because they eat aphids, right?

[HughMoran]

5. We had a swarm up here in the NE a few years ago. I still find a dead one now and then inside

They were everywhere and inside the house too!

[eleny]

6. We have lots here just west of Denver in an older suburb

The other day we were due to have a bunch of new trees sprayed for pests like aphids. But I swapped that service for fertilizing the trees instead. We have no aphids that I can see probably because the many ladybugs are dining on them.

Yesterday, hubby and I cleaned the gutters on out building here and when he pulled the leaves away from the downspout opening, a rush of more leaves, sitting water and at least 50 ladybugs came out the downspout.

We've had ladybug season in years past but not like this year. But this year isn't like any other year that I've seen in the 33 years I've lived here. We've had so much rain. Our perennials went wild with blooms and then the ladybugs showed up. So far so good. :D

[slampoet]

7. Ladybug swarms are supposed to be good luck and good harvest.

Besides the eating of pests they are also an indication that you just had a mild winter and will have a good long grow season.

At least that is what my farmer relatives always said.

[oldlib]

8. Lady Bugs

Years ago a member of my golf foursome told me that his uncle
and himself raised, and sold lady bugs to local nurseries. The
lady bugs would return to their farm, following delivery, by
finding the jet stream and returning, to be resold once again.
This was in the San Jose, California area.

[roamer65]

15. My dad had one that ate breakfast with him a few years back.

The lady bug would show up at the breakfast table every morning with him and he would feed her.

[eleny]

10. Unfortunately, the weather we've had has helped the earwig population as well

Not a day goes by that we don't find one or two on the house. I know that they eat dead matter like leaves. But they still creep me out when I find one in the kitchen. x(

[dysfunctional press]

11. if i were them, i'd play the lottery...

their luck runneth over!

[OmmmSweetOmmm]

13. I had an infestation of lady bugs a couple of years ago, for 2 years in a row and

got very tired inviting them out of my house! My cats loved to try to get them but they luckily aren't very good bug hunters. I guess they decided to leave on their own and they haven't shown up since.

BTW...my "infestation" was miniscule compared to what they're experiencing in Colorado. I saw a segment about it on The Today Show this morning and it was quite remarkable.

[JerseygirlCT]

21. Lots here in CT - whenever it gets warm, the house is full of them

and they're protected, so the bug guy isn't allowed to get rid of them either. I'm happy to have them outside, but I don't like bugs in my house, period.

[Brother Buzz]

14. Locations of lady bug sites in the California foothills are highly guarded secrets

Big bucks are made shoveling them into buckets and hauling them out to sell.

[earth mom]

16. Woo hoo rec this up people! Ladybugs on the greatest page!

Because everyone knows that the greatest page must be filled with all sunshine, butterflies and ladybugs!

Nothing negative about Obama, though you hear? :sarcasm:

[Liberal_in_LA]

19. 'Sunshine, butterflies and ladybugs". Love it!

[BlooInBloo]

17. What are ladybugs' primary predators? Have they gone into a decline recently?

[JerseygirlCT]

22. I don't know, but I was told they're protected here.

It's ok to vacuum them up and let them out, apparently, but the bug guy wasn't allowed to get rid of them.

[orleans]

18. i remember driving through a town in wisconsin about ten years ago

and it was the same thing--i don't remember the town but it was by a field, on a country road, and i remember there was a pump well/fountain. it was amazing there were so many ladybugs. my friend said that this happens every year.

[GreenPartyVoter]

20. Send them to my garden, please

[appal_jack]

23. k&r for ladybugs...

and though a slightly different ladybug, I'll post a video of another 'ladybug,' along with a doodlebug and a silkworm...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n2q8q73t-aM&feature=related

('peace be the greeting of the insect tribe')

-app