Homemade Ladybug Habitat

Making the House

• To make the home for your ladybugs, you will need a round cardboard container with a lid like the kind used for oats. Cut windows and doors in the container. Roll fine mesh screen around the inside of the container to ensure the ladybugs do not escape your habitat. Overlap the ends of the screen and secure it with glue all the way down the seam.

Ladybug Home Furnishings

• To make your ladybugs comfortable in your habitat, you will need to get some natural furnishings from outside. Put a layer of fresh grass on the bottom of the container. Find some small sticks and bark for your ladybugs to climb on. Hay can also be used to cover the bottom of your habitat. Additionally, place a damp paper towel in your habitat for moisture. Clean your habitat and replace old furnishings with new fresh furnishings weekly.

Ladybug Food

• You will need to supply your ladybugs with food sources; otherwise, they may turn on each other in desperation. If you can find them, live bugs, such as aphids, leafhoppers and mites can be fed to your ladybugs. You can also give them sweet alyssums or other plants that are sweet. As a last resort, you can feed the ladybugs in your habitat raisins soaked in water. You should also mist your habitat and paper towel with water every two to three days to ensure they have an adequate water supply.

Habitat Residents

• When you have built and furnished your ladybug habitat, you can find some ladybugs to move in. You can usually find ladybugs in your yard. Look for ladybugs around flowers, grapes, apples, potatoes and corn. If you cannot find ladybugs, you can try and attract them to your yard by putting out white or yellow flowers, such as marigold or angelica. You can also have live ladybugs shipped to you from a variety of different companies.