We've mail-ordered ladybugs twice. One shipment was held up over the weekend in a post office side-track, so that half of them were DOA and more died in the next two days. The other arrived on time, and still contained a lot of dead bugs and delayed casualties. The survivors of both contingents dispersed in the greenhouse and performed very poorly. It seems a wasteful and cruel practice, with very little to show for it.
Our local garden center sells nematodes.
Me, I collect praying mantises when I get the chance.
