Rollout the Welcome Mat for Ladybugs & Other Pollinators

Ladybugs, also called ladybirds and lady beetles, are such wonderful little bugs. We tend to think of them as cute, but that's because we're not their prey. Ladybugs are actually pretty brutal predators. Each one will feed on thousands of soft-bodied insects like aphids, mealybugs, whiteflies, mites, scale, and thrips in its lifetime. That alone makes them super advantageous to our gardens.

But ladybugs don't just take care of garden pests for us. They also help pollinate our flowers and fruiting plants. They zip around our gardens feeding on nectar and spreading pollen as they go.

This might be why ladybugs are positive symbols in many different cultures. Whether you believe ladybugs are good luck or signs from angels, they're certainly good news for your garden.

So run, don't walk, to roll out the welcome mat for these beneficial insects by planting certain flowers and flowering herbs and by making your garden as pollinator friendly as possible. Let's look at the many wonderful flowers you can plant if you'd like to welcome more ladybugs to your garden.

Flowers to Plant to Attract Ladybugs to Your Garden Space

• alyssum
• calendula
• cilantro
• cosmos
• dill
• fennel
• feverfew
• marigolds
• milkweed
• mint
• nasturtiums
• parsley
• sunflowers
• tansy
• yarrow

Flowers in the Daisy Family Welcome Ladybugs to Your Garden

Calendula, cosmos, marigolds, and sunflowers all come from the same plant family, the Asteraceae, or daisy, family. Why do ladybugs love these flowers in particular?

Well, for one, pollinators tend to be drawn to bright colors like red, orange, and yellow, and these plants have pollen and nectar-rich blooms.

Other than that, it's hard for us to fully appreciate because we literally can't see these flowers the same way that pollinators do. The center of each sunflower, for example, is a kaleidoscope of ultraviolet patterns that beckon insects like ladybugs to the flowers. Their large size means ladybugs can see them from afar, and they have a nice, flat surface that's perfect for landing on.

I love to grow marigolds and calendula in my raised-bed kitchen garden, and then I plant cosmos and sunflowers in my designated pollinator garden space. Explore our guides to growing marigolds and calendula.

Flowers in the Brassica Family Are Beloved by Pollinators

Pollinators love the dainty yellow flowers that brassicas like mustard greens, kale, and broccoli produce when they go to seed. Sweet alyssum is a flowering plant in this family. You can find blooms in yellow, or course, but also beautiful shades of purple, pink, and white. The shallow, teeny tiny blooms make for easier snacking for ladybugs.

Alyssum is easy to grow from seed and spreads outward instead of growing tall. It's ideal for planting in containers around plants that are prone to aphids or in the corners of your raised beds. It also makes excellent ground cover.

So plant some alyssum, and then if your veggies bolt, consider keeping one in your garden for the pollinators. The bees and ladybugs will certainly thank you.

Ladybugs Adore Flowering Herbs in the Mint Family

The mint family gives us mint, of course, plus some flowering herbs like feverfew, yarrow, and tansy. The blooms on these plants tend to be small and tight in shades of yellow or white, which ladybugs love.

Ladybugs also seem to like the nice, flat leaves of plants like mint and its close cousin, lemon balm. These two herbs spread, so it's best to grow them in their own pots. I love to grow feverfew, yarrow, and tansy in my in-ground pollinator garden.

Learn more about growing your own mint and feverfew.

Herbs in the Carrot Family Are Ladybug Magnets

Nothing brings all the ladybugs to the yard quite like cilantro when it's flowering. I'm not exaggerating when I say the yellow and white blooms of cilantro, dill, fennel, and parsley are ladybug magnets. These herbs are so great at attracting pollinators that some gardeners plant them in warm weather specifically so that they'll bolt and produce flowers. (Parsley is a biennial, so you might have to wait for its second year in the garden to get flowers.)

I love growing these herbs in my kitchen garden, but I also plant them in my pollinator garden just for the bees, butterflies, and ladybugs. Learn more about how to grow cilantro, dill, and parsley.

Milkweed Attracts Ladybugs & Supports Butterflies

Ladybugs and butterflies love the bright shades of milkweed flowers, and the flat leaves give ladybugs a nice little resting spot. If you're going to add milkweed to your yard, make sure to look for a local variety at the nursery so that you can best support your butterflies and moths.

Nasturtiums Bring in Ladybugs & Hummingbirds

The vase-like shape of nasturtium flowers are ideal for hungry hummingbirds to take a sip, but the bright colors also attract lots of ladybugs. Nasturtiums are an all-around great flower to have for organic pest control. Learn how to grow nasturtiums from seed.

Avoid Using Pesticides

Even though organic treatments like neem oil and diatomaceous earth don't cause direct harm to ladybugs per se, the simple truth is that their use has a trickle-down effect in the ecosystem. Pesticides are linked to a dramatic decline in pollinator species, from ladybugs to honeybees.

The best way to make your garden a safe and welcoming haven for pollinators and beneficial insects is to avoid reaching for sprays at the first sign of an issue. Learn five ways to deal with garden pests naturally.

Give Ladybugs a Place to Overwinter

Ladybugs hibernate during the coldest months of the year. Their ideal spot is a hollow stem or other little nooks and crannies that seem nice and insulated. You can buy an insect hotel to give ladybugs the perfect place to spend the winter or make your own. Hang your insect hotel near some herbs or flowering plants so that ladybugs can find it. You'll want to keep it about 4 feet off the ground, in a sheltered but sunny location.

Order Ladybugs Online

When the weather warms and aphids start becoming an issue in the garden, you can actually purchase aphid predators like ladybugs and praying mantises and bring them into your garden. If you go this route, make sure to do a bit more reading on the best type of ladybug to buy for your area and how to ensure they stay in your garden.

My husband and I ordered a whole bunch of ladybugs once when our kale was under heavy attack from aphids, and our kids had so much fun watching them.

One More Thing

Make Sure You Know What Ladybug Larvae Look Like

We all go through that super awkward teenage phase, and even ladybugs are no different. A ladybug's life cycle is actually pretty bizarre and involves changing its shape not once but twice. Here's a quick overview: ladybug eggs are off white to orange in color and are laid in neat clusters on the undersides of leaves.

After hatching, they spend about 3 weeks in larva stage, and it's actually during this stage that they're the most ferocious aphid predators. Ladybug larvae are dark gray and spiky with some orange or red spots. I heard someone refer to this as the "goth stage." It's pretty hard to look at them and image something so scary looking will eventually turn out cute.

Anyways, once the larva eat their fill of aphids and other tiny pests, they'll shed their outer layer and become a pupa. Then they shed again and become the bug we recognize as ladybugs over the next two weeks.

These not-so-attractive guys are good reminders that ladybugs are beetles. Just make sure you don't mistake them for pests!

Time to Show Our Ladybug Friends Some Love!

Inviting ladybugs and other beneficial insects into my garden is one of my favorite ways to work with nature, not against it. I take a more holistic approach to pest control, which means creating a space that's home to all kinds of wildlife and diverse plant species, our spotted little friends included.

So the next time life gives you aphids, plant some flowers. Now you'll have flowers and ladybugs to enjoy. Don't stress about the rest.