Today was the day. Today we released our ladybugs! We have been observing them since they were tiny larvae (Ladybug Lesson Plan). In hopes to keep a few around, the kids and I made a ladybug feeder to hang in our rose bush. Those aphids love the rose bushes!
Here’s what you will need to make your own feeder: a toilet paper roll, duct tape, string, scissors, and raisins.
1. First cut the toilet paper roll open. Unroll it, lying it down flat with the outside face down (It will want to curl up).
2. Cut a long piece of string. This is to hang the feeder so you can always cut it shorter once you find a place to hang it.
3. Take the middle of the string and place it near the top end of the open roll so that the string runs the length of the tube. Tape the string in place, as shown in the picture above.
4. Now curl the roll in tight to form a small circle, like in the picture above. This should be done in the direction that the roll naturally wants to curl.
5. Add duct tape to hold it in place (above). Then cover the entire outside of the tube with duct tape (below). We used duct tape in hopes to help the feeder endure the weather. We can easily replace it once it gets worn out, but we want it to last for a while.
6. Pick the perfect location for your feeder. You will want to place it somewhere that aphids (ladybugs favorite food) might hangout, like rose bushes. Furthermore, you will want the feeder to be in a location that the children can easily view. They will likely want to keep checking on it.
7. Now that your feeder is in place, put a couple of raisins inside. These are for the ladybugs to eat. Raisins are what we were instructed to feed the ladybugs while in Ladybug Land. Since our ladybugs already have a taste for raisins, we hope this feeder with entice the Pink Ladybugs to make our yard their home.
See also: Lucky Ladybug Lesson Plans
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