Topic: young ladybirds.

[Val]

I've just seen the larvae of a couple of ladybirds. I've never seen them before. ;D I've seen them in books etc. but never in the garden 8)They are nothing like the adults but tiny long creatures. Ain't nature wonderful. ;)

[Mrs Ava]

Tis great Val.  I told the kids the story of the ugly duckling, and used the same idea when showing them the ladybird larvae.

[kenkew]

Mrs Kew's father kills 'em. He thinks they're colorado beetle nymphs. Thicko or what?

[Val]

 :Deasy mistake Ken, unless you've seen the pictures they nothing like the adults. Oh Emma just love that, what a good way to explain them.

[Spurdie]

Hi Val,
Last year we were overrun with aphids, but this year the ladybirds have cleaned up! I saw some young ladybird larvae on a rose last year, so they must be breeding! I thought they were forkytails (earwigs) to begin with, but then noticed their markings. If only ladybirds would eat slugs as well ... 8)

[Val]

 ;) Hi Spurdie, think I'm going to regret saying this... I don't have that much trouble with slugs and snails,we've got quite a few frogs around, my biggest pest is blackfly. It distorts all the shoots and nipping them out doesn't solve it. I think its cause its quite dry here, I've got a few holes in things where the slugs have been and I nearly lost a heuchera early in the year, but since its warmed up not much has been touched....famous last words..

[Roy Bham UK]

I've only seen a couple of Ladybirds this year in our garden, I wish more would visit and clear some of these greenfly off my Bamboo, I've started feeling itchy again. :(

Roy

[Gardengirl]

Oh I'm so envious - the ladybirds seem to have deserted my garden this year so far :'(  I'm having to resort to blasting the pesky aphids with the hose :o

[Val]

Hi Garden girl and Roy, must admit I haven't seen many , but with seeing the larvae hopefully there' s more to come. :)

[Spurdie]

Roy, after reading your post I got to thinking ... (always a bad sign) ... what if you rubbed itching powder on the stems of your bamboo ... would the aphids be going frantic or would it make no difference? What if you tried rubbing a chilli on the stems?  8)

[Roy Bham UK]

Are you serious Spurdie? ??? Show me your face, :P I have been using Malathion on rare occasions, :o I know it’s a banned substance now and will be glad when he bottles empty I also heard a mixture of water and detergent is good and picking them off one at a time is not an option. :-\

I think it was back in 1987 when we were in Tenby South Wales being attacked by millions of Ladybirds and they have a bite too, :'( I hated them then, praps that’s why they won’t visit. :(

Roy ;)

[Val]

 :, they must have long memories Roy.Maybe you should provide a home they might forgive you then ;)Try a bit of polish and wax they'll slide off. Oh gawd help us all, Spurdie thinking ???

[Spurdie]

Eh? Don't you ever think to yourself
Wouldn't it be fun to put some vaseline on the telegraph wires and watch the swallows sliding from one end to the other ...
or
when your neighbour's cat is busy scraping the earth from around a prized plant and is just about to park its behind, THE HAND OF CARRIE APPEARS! The look on the cat's face!

[Roy Bham UK]

Spurdie you'd better watch out, someone may cover your loo pan with cling film  :o
Roy ;D

[Val]

 ;D ;D ;DCan you imagin it Roy,  ;D ;D might even be super glue, our Spurdies right stuck up, or stuck down more like.   Wish I had one of those water things, like Ozzy Osborne, only for cats not visitors, lol. press the button and whoosh.