Thanks for this Joe, so much knowledge and good sense as always.
The 'pest' story I like to tell is when a lady came up to me at an event and asked me how she could get rid of the terrible, evil bugs all over her plants. Luckily she had a photo with her - and, yes, it turns out they were all ladybird larvae :).
Yes I have ladybugs in my garden and I can’t get enough of them. I even bought some eggs one year. The 5 of the eggs ‘hatched’ into their black larvae stage then disappeared. However I had some 12 metres of viburnum hedge and a tonne of aphids waiting to be munched on, so I hope they took off for a great feed. I celebrate when I see them and spread the good word.
Excellent analysis. Now that I'm planting natives to encourage butterflies, I'm learning to flip my reactions to holes in leaves, from "uh-oh" to "yay--caterpillars!" I even cheer for caterpillars in the vegetable garden, when they are black swallowtail caterpillars on the carrot foliage. My favorite pest-management strategy is encouraging more birds to visit my garden.
Thanks for this Joe, so much knowledge and good sense as always.
The 'pest' story I like to tell is when a lady came up to me at an event and asked me how she could get rid of the terrible, evil bugs all over her plants. Luckily she had a photo with her - and, yes, it turns out they were all ladybird larvae :).
Thanks Mark. The ladybug larvae alarm is a common one; thanks for that reminder.
Brilliantly put. Something like this should be required reading before purchasing 'icides.
Yes I have ladybugs in my garden and I can’t get enough of them. I even bought some eggs one year. The 5 of the eggs ‘hatched’ into their black larvae stage then disappeared. However I had some 12 metres of viburnum hedge and a tonne of aphids waiting to be munched on, so I hope they took off for a great feed. I celebrate when I see them and spread the good word.
Mine are different red/black common varieties for my location. I’m guessing you’re going to tell me the one in the photo may not be a ‘good’ one?
It's in the same family and it certainly looks like a ladybug, doesn't it?
Did you identify the "ladybug" in the top photo?
Shape wise yes. What is it?
Excellent advice!!
thanks
Excellent analysis. Now that I'm planting natives to encourage butterflies, I'm learning to flip my reactions to holes in leaves, from "uh-oh" to "yay--caterpillars!" I even cheer for caterpillars in the vegetable garden, when they are black swallowtail caterpillars on the carrot foliage. My favorite pest-management strategy is encouraging more birds to visit my garden.