I hope this is true! I find it reassuring that the ladybugs were "bagged"
in a relatively local area. Recently, I saw a mailing from a Canadian
conservation group (sorry, don't remember which one) which said they were
concerned that populations of native lady beetles might be impacted by
people releasing lady beetles in their gardens that had been imported from
Europe and Asia. I was stunned. Here we are thinking we are doing a good,
organic thing, and it still may have an impact an local "wildlife"!

I guess there are no easy answers.

----------
> From: CHRISTINE W. MAACK <CMaack at compuserve.com>
> To: Tweetlist <tweeters at u.washington.edu>
> Subject: Ladybugs
> Date: Tuesday, April 08, 1997 4:24 PM
>
> I read an interesting article several years ago about ladybug hunters in
> the Rockies. Apparently, ladybugs hibernate by the millions in forests in
> the Rockies (sorry, don't remember more specifically than that - I think
it
> was around the bases of large trees). Those bags of ladybugs for sale at
> the garden stores to combat your aphids "organically" come from these
> hibernating masses. People earn extra $$ by finding them and bagging them
> up.
>
> Yvonne, maybe you should check with a local garden supply store and see
if
> they're interested. Feel like bagging bugs?
>
> Chris Maack
> Anchorage, AK
> CMaack at compuserve.com