Round Two in the Battle of the Ahpids

Well, unfortunately, the battle did not go as planned.    I woke to find that my little ladybug soldiers were all dead.  Apparently, they were all dead when I purchased them.   I guess it's difficult to tell the difference between a dead army of ladybugs and a sleeping army of ladybugs when inspecting the troops thru a plastic container where they are being held captive.   However, when I woke this morning to find most of them belly up, there was no question about it.   I scooped them all up into their container and brought them back to the store for a proper burial.   I'm sure I heard taps being played somewhere in the back of the premises.

I was informed that the little critters had gotten too cold in the refrigerator the store kept them in.  I was given a new army of aphid eating insects and a new battle plan.  This time, instead of a sneak attack staged in the dead of night, we were going to make a bold strike in broad daylight.  After making absolutely sure that all the troops passed muster and were at the ready, I went home to launch the next phase of the battle.  I was to spritz my plant once more to provide a water source for my thirsty little army, once again station them at the base of the plant and let the boldest and hungriest lead the attack.

I did all this and the results were not promising.   Some of the ladybugs apparently heard distress calls from other plants, joined the air force and flew off to rescue those them.   Most of them decided that they weren't all that hungry and sought refuge in the shade of the plant pot.   At least they didn't fly away and at least, for now, they are still alive.  I heard a funny noise coming from the upper part of the plant.   It was the aphids snickering, making weird faces and shouting "Na, na, na, na, na!"   There is nothing so embarrassing as being given the raspberry by a group of uppity aphids.....  They'll git theirs, I promise.  The last laugh will be mine!

While I am still holding out hope for this latest battle plan, I find myself coming up with others in case this one is not successful.   My environmental ideals are still intact, but wavering.   If this little army should fail, I may consider an insecticide.   At least it will stay with the plant and will not die.

In all of this, I have learned some of the first lessons of war.   If the first battle is not won, draw back, re-group, and launch another attack.   Also, like chickens which should not be counted before they are hatched,  victories should not be proclaimed before they are won.