Delivering by Post and Courier

All the prices shown on the fast order form include postage and packing within the UK by Royal Mail First Class Post.

In our experience 90% of first class post arrives on time. However 1st class post is neither guaranteed nor tracked so you are taking a small risk that the delivery might be late. This is normally just an inconvenience, but if you have ordered live insects then late delivery could mean some of the insects perish in transit.
If you prefer you can pay an extra charge and we can send your packet by a guaranteed service We offer two tracked services:- Royal Mail Special Delivery which is delivered before 1pm and requires a signature, and courier delivery which is not a timed delivery, and does not require a signature. Both are very reliable - 99.98% will arrive on time.

We do not deliver outside the UK with the exception of the Republic of Ireland. The reason for this decision is that a good proportion of european courier deliveries, and Air Mail , arrived late or went astray last year. We ARE continuing to deliver to the Republic of Ireland by Air Mail because this service is more reliable, and we have many valued and loyal customers from the Republic. However beware of ordering very vulnerable items such as lacewings and ladybirds for ROI - if they are late they may be dead!

• Press the 'Order Now' button on any product page on this site and you will be directed to our online order form ...
• Or go straight to our Quick Order Form.
• Or send a cheque or credit card number by post to: Ladybird Plantcare, The Glasshouses, Fletching Common, Newick, Lewes, BN8 4JJ, with your order.
• Or ring us on 0845 0945 499 and place your order over the telephone, using a credit card for payment.

When you enter the order form the next available weekday delivery date will be shown against each item. To choose your own date press the button marked 'change' next to this date. You won't be able to choose a date earlier than the next available despatch date, but you can order for later dates.

• Flying insects, and mites,cocoons, eggs, larvae are sent to you the day they arrive with us. We can't store them here and send them later, because they would not be fresh. Often insects stored in tubes eat each other! We usually order on Monday morning and get our delivery on Wednesday, so you will receive your order on Thursday.
• Nematodes also need to be ordered Monday morning to be sure of a delivery the same week. Nematodes however can be stored in our refrigerator for a few days and sent out to you on a weekday convenient to you. Please use the "Change Date" button and explain your particular restrictions in the special instructions.
• Other products such as soft soap have a long shelf life and can be sent to you on any weekday after the next available date.

If you have ordered a live product, (flying insects, cocoons, eggs, larvae) you should use it as soon as possible. Open the packet immediately and if you can't use the product straight away then check the optimum storage temperature for the creatures inside. Some insects can be stored in a warm part of the fridge, other insects need to be stored at a slightly higher temperature - there will be a thermometer symbol on the tube or vial and you should be guided by this.

In the case of nematodes, they should be stored in the fridge (not in the ice box) which will slow them right down and send them into a sort of "hibernation".

Please don't order more than you need and aim to "save some for later". The fresher the product, the more effective it will be.

Nematode packs are delivered in Jiffy bags which may fit through your letter box, but often the package might be larger, especially if you order several things at once. If you chose 1st class post the postman will usually have the local knowledge to know where to leave a parcel if no-one answers the door. However if you choose to send by courier please make a note in the Special Instructions - e.g. 'Leave next door', 'Leave in the shade by the back door'. N.B. If you choose Royal Mail Special Delivery and you are out then if the postman can't get a signature then the packet will be returned to the sorting office. This can be very inconvenient!

If the address on the credit card is different from the delivery address please enter the delivery address on the main part of the form and the credit card address on the special instructions.

Please ensure that you enter the full address including the postal code and the correct post town. It is very useful to have your daytime telephone number so we can contact you as a last resort.

Monday to Friday 8am to 4pm the quickest way to contact us is via the telephone on 0845 0945 499 (local call rate). Outside these hours use the order query form on the Contact Us page. We monitor incoming queries at intervals evenings and weekends.