My Mother-in-law had a patch of Rudbeckia in her yard COVERED (I've never seen so many in my life) with aphids. She said the ladybugs had come and gone (I'm sure they were stuffed), but I'm sure they left their offspring behind. Everything has a purpose, even if we see it as a pest. Where there's a pest, there's a predator to eat them (as you said)!
It is a shame some people don't feel they can live harmoniously with insects/creatures... I don't remember what the current reason behind the honey bee population decline is, but I swear I read at some point it was due to humans intervening somehow. We have a tendency to do more harm than good.
Planto
