Lady bugs are actually beetles and not bugs. The real name of the lady bug is lady bird beetle which are a great way to control aphids and other garden pests in an environmentally friendly way.

Lady bugs like nectar! In particular they like such plants as Thyme, Oregano, Hibiscus, and Mint. These types of plants will help to attract lady bugs to your yard.

Providing a lady bug house is another great way to attract lady bugs to your yard. To lure ladybugs into the house, simply cut a small piece of sponge, create a mixture of a tablespoon of water and a pinch of brown sugar, then saturate the sponge and place it inside the Ladybug House. Keep the sponge moist and sprinkle some of the lure-mixture on nearby plants to maintain your beneficial ladybug community. Commercial Lady Bug Lures are also available.
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Lady bugs can be identified by their six unique black spots found on each wing that is shaped like a dome. Their bright red color is a warning to any potential predator or hungry birds which quickly learn to leave them alone because of their bad taste.

Many people don’t know that lady bugs have a similar three phase life cycle to that of Butterflies. Lady bugs start as larvae (that looks like alligators), progress to pupae and then later emerge as adults.

The lady bug life span is only a few months, however, each female will lay up to 500 eggs! Native lady bugs over-winter in canyons and rock crevices. Non-native lady bugs, in particular those recently released in agriculture areas, gather in attics and homes in the winter.

Non-native lady bugs, which sometimes have been introduced in large numbers, have a tendency to do a lot more harm than good. Therefore, when trying to rear lady bugs, always make sure that they are native to your area!