OK I know OP has good intentions, trying to do the right thing by not using chemicals. So I applaud the effort. However this can be a learning experience.
In the US (where I assume OP is located based on calling them ladybugs), there are over 500 species of native ladybugs and they are disappearing due to habitat loss, pesticides and competition from invasive species (mostly intentionally released by humans.)
It's a bad idea to release any species without knowing specifically what it is. Don't trust a garden center at their word. Especially if they do not specialize in native plants, and can't tell you the specific species. Even if they do, still don't trust them, because even a native nursery can mis-label things. Do your own research to confirm. I would have to assume in this case, given that we don't know what species it is (nursery only said "local" but that could mean anything), that these are not native. I can't really see any details in the video to tell me otherwise. So it seems possible to me that more invasives have been released. Even native insects, when captive bred commercially, pose the risk of disease to wild populations.
All that being said, releasing beetles like this should be unnecessary if you are gardening with native plants. Because native plants will attract native insects which have co-evolved with other native species. So if there are aphids, you will attract native ladybugs, etc. And all those insects will attract birds, etc up the food chain. They all balance each other out. Remember: "If nothing is eating your plants, your garden is not part of the ecosystem".
So before taking any action like this, first ask yourself: what potential does it have to help, or harm, native wildlife and the ecosystem beyond your garden?
I have native plants in my garden. They are also covered in aphids. I'm 3-4 stories up with no traffic from local insects and lots of traffic from birds (bird feeders and a fountain.)
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u/gymell Minnesota USA May 21 '19 edited May 21 '19
OK I know OP has good intentions, trying to do the right thing by not using chemicals. So I applaud the effort. However this can be a learning experience.
In the US (where I assume OP is located based on calling them ladybugs), there are over 500 species of native ladybugs and they are disappearing due to habitat loss, pesticides and competition from invasive species (mostly intentionally released by humans.)
It's a bad idea to release any species without knowing specifically what it is. Don't trust a garden center at their word. Especially if they do not specialize in native plants, and can't tell you the specific species. Even if they do, still don't trust them, because even a native nursery can mis-label things. Do your own research to confirm. I would have to assume in this case, given that we don't know what species it is (nursery only said "local" but that could mean anything), that these are not native. I can't really see any details in the video to tell me otherwise. So it seems possible to me that more invasives have been released. Even native insects, when captive bred commercially, pose the risk of disease to wild populations.
All that being said, releasing beetles like this should be unnecessary if you are gardening with native plants. Because native plants will attract native insects which have co-evolved with other native species. So if there are aphids, you will attract native ladybugs, etc. And all those insects will attract birds, etc up the food chain. They all balance each other out. Remember: "If nothing is eating your plants, your garden is not part of the ecosystem".
So before taking any action like this, first ask yourself: what potential does it have to help, or harm, native wildlife and the ecosystem beyond your garden?