Written by Heather Bode, Photography by Jacqui Smith
What do the Mall of America and Japanese mustard spinach farmers have in common with Valley Farms in Helena? They all utilize ladybugs as biopesticide. And lots of them.
Valley Farms owner Dennis Flynn says, “We were looking at a way to control insects late season without insecticides.” Since their initial use in his greenhouses three years ago, Flynn has been so impressed with the results, he’s never looked back.
Once a week, Flynn inspects his plants for pests- mainly aphids. His nursery contains hundreds of thousands of plants, but Flynn knows exactly where to look: the pepper plants. “If there was one aphid on the top of Mt. Helena and one pepper plant here…he’d find his way,” Flynn laughs. Aphids tend to settle on the new growth and around the flower buds. He moves on to the marigolds, petunias, and verbena. Then he calmly opens containers of ladybugs, places them on the floor and leaves the dirty work to the ladybugs.
The number one benefit of releasing ladybugs is pest control. Ladybugs are voracious eaters and Flynn says, in addition to eating aphids, he’s seen them eat fungus gnats and flower thrips. Ladybugs are also economical. “Some of the good pesticides are $300 per bottle. To release ladybugs costs me $24 per week,” says Flynn. “But more than money, it was what pesticides did to the plants. It dings them pretty hard.” Preventing burn marks on flower edges was a priority for Flynn.
The fact that ladybug releases are odorless is also a benefit. “Even organic oils can damage flowers and have an odor,” says Flynn. And finally, ladybugs are extremely efficient. Flynn releases ladybugs on Monday night each week during the season. By late Tuesday morning, most have eaten their fill and have moved on. Where do the ladybugs go? “We release so many (up to 8,000 at peak season) they either move throughout the greenhouse or they migrate out through the back vents or up front through the fans. But more than anything, they go out with the plants because we rotate plants every week,” says Flynn.
It’s no secret to Helenans that Valley Farms is closed every Tuesday and Wednesday for ladybug release. Why? In addition to Tuesday being the slowest retail day across the nation, Flynn found it easier to work with a five-day schedule and also to give the ladybugs time (if they need it) to fly throughout the greenhouses. Once, in the middle of the week last June, he allowed a customer to browse even though they were closed. He warned her he had released ladybugs the evening before and he could tell she was wearing a rose-scented perfume. Within minutes, she returned covered in ladybugs. “If you smell sweet or rosy and you’re back in the veggie area- they’ll find you,” says Flynn.
And if you notice a ladybug or two on your plants when you get home, consider it your pest-free guarantee!Visit Valley Farms online at www.montanavalleyfarms.com.
