Releasing ladybugs

So, last year the pomegranate tree had a huge infestation of aphids and this year the Valencia orange tree is starting to host its own little colony of aphids and ants.  Apparently the ants take care of the aphids and the aphids secrete a sweet substance called "honeydew" that the eats eat. This works out well for the ants, but the aphids weaken the trees by feasting on sap from the leaves. Today I bought two small cartons of ladybugs and released them into the trees. The ladybugs didn't rush to eat the aphids, but I did see a few ladybugs eat an aphid.

This leaf has ants crawling around the aphids. The aphids look like tiny green ovals.

 

Aphids on an orange leaf. The aphids are clumped together on the underside of the leaf. (The leaf is flipped over for the photo.) Note that there are also signs of leafminer tracks on the leaf.

 

This leaf has aphids, but also has the lacy serpentine tracks of a leafiminer. You can see the tiny leafminer larva on the lower right of the tracks.

This ladybug seems to be moving towards some aphids.

 

I hope this ladybug is about to munch a few of the aphids.If you look carefully, you can seen the little green aphids have tiny legs.