A lady bug showed up on the windshield of my car, as I was leaving one of my gardens.
They are a mixed blessing, often indicating the return of aphids to a garden. They'll suck the sap out of any new, tender growth on everything from flowers, fruit trees . . . vegetables . . .
Females produce without mating, about 2 weeks from their 'nymph' stage. They lay eggs that over winter and then wake the following spring with a HUGE appetite. (in mild climates, the problem is ongoing!)
Adults and nymphs suck plant sap, which usually leaving distorted leaves, buds, branch tips, and flowers.
Aphids excrete a sweet, sticky goo called 'honeydew.' This goo creates an environment for 'sooty mold' to grow, which, blocks light from leaves.
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