The Ladybug

Nature’s Friendly Assassin

When we grow for you, our local neighbors, we do so with the utmost respect for our land, water, and community, using organic and regenerative practices. And like all farmers, we must contend with pests. Pests are part of nature, and so are the predators that naturally manage them. So, to protect our crops from damage and you from harsh chemical pesticides, we harness one of nature’s fiercest assassins, the ladybug.

Pests have always been a part of farming. Sometimes their damage is minor and easy to recover from. Other times, the impacts can be devastating. Farmers have spent enormous amounts of time and resources figuring out how to limit damage to our food.

Miraculous Ladybugs

Enter the ladybug. That adorable, spotted beetle might be good luck, but it also has a ravenous appetite for all manner of undesirable insects that flock to farms. Its favorite food is the aphid—a tiny insect that sucks the sap out of plants and reproduces rapidly, removing nutrients, spreading disease, and lowering crop yields. Ladybugs are an effective way to destroy pests without damaging the plants they feed on or disrupting the natural ecosystem of the farm. A single ladybug will eat thousands of aphids in a lifetime.

There are about 5,000 different species of ladybugs in the world. Historically and cross-culturally, ladybugs are believed to be talismans of luck. Some believe that if a ladybug lands on you, you should count the number of spots to predict how many years of good luck you'll have.  But this isn’t the case if you’re a plant pest. 

To use ladybugs for pest control, we release them into the farm, where they identify and eat colonies of harmful insects. Then they lay their eggs in those locations. When the eggs hatch, those larvae are hungry and immediately start eating all the insects around them. Lather, rinse, repeat. Insects in harmony. 

Ladybug use is a cornerstone to our organic, integrated pest management system. This technique involves harnessing natural, common-sense methods to combat pests, including an understanding of the pest lifecycle and pests’ natural predators (like ladybugs!). By growing indoors, we limit most pests. In addition to ladybugs, we use sticky bug tape to trap the bugs that want to feast on our crops. 

We choose to use these techniques because we believe in maintaining the delicate organic balance of nature. At Area 2 Farms, we are committed to growing fresh, organic, seasonal produce without harmful chemicals that can damage the ecosystem and your health. Want to observe natural pest management in action at your community farm in the DMV? Come visit us and see for yourself!

Area 2 Farms for Locals

Your food should be equally accessible and nutritious. Which is where we come in. We’re Area 2 Farms, we grow organic produce, deliver it to your door weekly, and operate all within 10 miles of you.