My taro plants at school have a LOT of aphids on them right now. When I water them, I always spray the leaves, hoping to cut down on the aphid population.
Yesterday when I did an inspection at recess time, I saw that the water isn’t the only aphid-control method the taro has.
That weird alligator-looking thing is a ladybug nymph. They love to eat aphids! Awesome! Good job, ladybugs! No water sprays for you.
Yay! As soon as I read the first sentences, I thought, “That plant needs some ladybugs.” Many thanks to Eric Carle for teaching thousands of children about that particular cycle of life. Munch away, ladybugs – grouchy or friendly. 🙂