Making a LadyBird House

[Shortie]

I'm being overrun with black fly (not helped because I'm overrun with ants...) and wanted to make a Ladybird house or too h#to help them hibernate in my garden ready to munch the gritters next year.

I can seem to find any instructions or ideas on the net - has anyone made one before that can give me some pointers?

Cheers

[DrBill]

We bought one from the local garden centre. I think they are a waste of money. It is basically a small bird box with an opening front into which you are supposed to put some crumpled up paper or straw or corrugated cardboard.

I would thind that if you leave a tiny corner of your garden a bit wild and untidy then the insects will come. I seem to remember that most of them particularly like nettles. And of course they will be attracted to the aphids!

God Bless
Bill

[Shortie]

Hi DrBill, and welcome to the 'vine. Thanks for the quick reply.

Fair enough... like they say a recomendation is the best thing to go on, if you've not had a good experience, maybe I should think of the wild-ish area. Just hope I can get it going quickly enough as most of the garden has been overhauled this year. The last bit down the end (which I expect would be best for wildlife as it's the least disturbed) is about to have a new shed built on it.

Nettles... they can be quite invasive can't they? Also seen some yummy recipies on here cooking and brewing with them! Do you know a good way to keep them in check? Any other things good for ladybirds to hibernate in? I seem to remember last year having tonnes of ladybirds when I grew cornflower in a 'wildflower' patch I grew to keep an empty bit of ground in check...

Any other grapes had sucess with the ladybird homes, or are they generally not that sucessful?

[rosheen]

I think perhaps leaving part of the garden a bit wild might be a help, I have quite a lot of wild bits and loads of ladybirds - Ro

[poultrychat]

I've been trying something I saw on gardeners world once - according to Alan Titmarsh nettles hate having the flowers cut off so the ones I have growing in a hedge are having that done as we speak