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Tips on How to Make a Ladybug House

Most kinds of ladybug are useful little insects to have in your garden. Both the adults and the larvae consume troublesome garden pests---notably, aphids---and ladybugs are appealing in their own right. The best way to create a ladybug-friendly garden is to reduce the quantities of chemicals that you use, such as pesticides, fungicides and weedkiller. Ladybugs also need places to shelter and breed. Ladybug houses encourage ladybugs to stay and multiply in your garden. A simple house takes only five to 10 minutes to make from start to finish.

Things You'll Need

Plastic tub with lid
Scissors
Straw or corrugated cardboard
Straight drinking straws
Duct tape

Instructions

- 1
  Cut several dime-sized holes in the bottoms and sides of the plastic tub. Include two directly opposite each other on the sides near the top.
- 2
  Fill the tub with straw or pieces of corrugated cardboard.
- 3
  Cut the drinking straws in half. Use straws with a wide enough diameter for the species of ladybug you wish to attract to crawl through.
- 4
  Push two of the drinking straw halves partially into a couple of the holes.
- 5
  Thread a piece of string through the two holes near the tops of the sides.
- 6
  Push the lid on the box. If the lid is loose, secure with duct tape.
- 7
  Hang the house from a lower branch of a shrub in your garden. Tie the string tightly enough that the house touches the branch.

Insects & Science