Allotments 4 All

Produce => Pests & Diseases => Topic started by: manicscousers on April 02, 2007, 18:31:27

Title: am I wierd or what
Post by: manicscousers on April 02, 2007, 18:31:27

I spent 15 minutes today watching 3 ladybirds eat all the greenfly off my sage cuttings, I was made up, me, who hates killing things, just sat there, thinking..get stuck in, less of the b*gers in the polytunnel   ;D

Title: Re: am I wierd or what
Post by: okra on April 02, 2007, 19:26:24

Have noticed lots of ladybirds at the lottie but I don,t knoe if this is unusual for this time of year

Title: Re: am I wierd or what
Post by: sarah on April 02, 2007, 19:41:25

i have lots on my plot too. my five year old spent a happy half hour this morning moving any he found onto my broad beans.   last year i found a colony of ldybirds under the overhang of my turf path edge.

Title: Re: am I wierd or what
Post by: Tin Shed on April 02, 2007, 20:11:07

Weird - no you are perfeclty normal as regards A4A. I can spend hours watching tadpoles, discussing greenfly ....and there are ladybirds about on my lottie as well!

Title: Re: am I wierd or what
Post by: cambourne7 on April 02, 2007, 20:28:14

yes i have them as well !!

my i was bitten by one once so i have mixed feelings

Title: Re: am I wierd or what
Post by: Hyacinth on April 02, 2007, 22:08:41

You someone else who's allergic to ladybird bites Cam? No-one believes me :o

 ;D

Title: Re: am I wierd or what
Post by: scotch-mist on April 02, 2007, 23:26:03

 ;D ;D ;D ;D
I know I shouldnt but I cant help it

Sorry Cam & Lish :o

Title: Re: am I wierd or what
Post by: saddad on April 03, 2007, 08:46:04

Saw at least twenty in one clump yesterday and at least three red admirals even managed to do a bit of gardening...
 ;D

Title: Re: am I wierd or what
Post by: Hyacinth on April 03, 2007, 09:26:49

I don't know if they actually bite or if they've got a ....wait for it....sting in their knees  ::)

Least, that's what I was told. Believe anything, me ;D

Title: Re: am I wierd or what
Post by: allaboutliverpool on April 11, 2007, 22:19:10

If you want to be really sadistic, the next time you see a ladybird, pick it up and put it on a rosebud that is covered in greenfly.
I agree it is a mesmerising experience.

http://www.allaboutliverpool.com/allaboutallotments2_my_allotment_in_liverpool.html

Title: Re: am I wierd or what
Post by: MrsKP on April 11, 2007, 22:23:17

Quote from: Alishka_Maxwell on April 02, 2007, 22:08:41

You someone else who's allergic to ladybird bites Cam? No-one believes me :o

 ;D

big girl's blouse !

 8)

Title: Re: am I wierd or what
Post by: Barnowl on April 11, 2007, 23:53:02

Major infestation of greenfly on the roses but the ladybirds were all elsewhere

Title: Re: am I wierd or what
Post by: ninnyscrops on April 12, 2007, 00:10:28

Not an aphid in sight on my roses up the arch, I had a potted seedling left over last year and didn't know what it was so just left it by the roses.  It grew into a small brussel sprout plant, the sprouts had blown by Feb as it was still in a small pot so I just left it there.  Over the the last couple of weeks it started to produce flower buds - guess where all the aphids are.....

Title: Re: am I wierd or what
Post by: David R on April 12, 2007, 15:57:40

i heard that the ladybird bleeds from its knees as a defence mechanism. the blood stinks, so the predator lets go. How true this is im not certain

Title: Re: am I wierd or what
Post by: manicscousers on April 12, 2007, 20:37:14

I wish they'd breed fast, the greenfly are  ;D

Title: Re: am I wierd or what
Post by: Common_Clay on April 12, 2007, 20:43:11

I seem to have an infestation of ladybirds on my plot, I've never seen so many, I just hope we don't get a cold snap and they die off.

Title: Re: am I wierd or what
Post by: manicscousers on April 12, 2007, 20:45:41

cor, cc..can you bag some up and send them, only joking, you lucky thing, I've only seen 4 in the past week  ;D

Title: Re: am I wierd or what
Post by: MrsKP on April 12, 2007, 21:35:34

i only saw ONE last year and that was at WORK.  didn't see one in the garden at all.

saw a peacock butterfly at work today.  i'm wondering what that site has got that i haven't.

 :-\

Title: Re: am I wierd or what
Post by: Hyacinth on April 12, 2007, 22:49:30

Shirl and Bunjy have got them on their lotties..Bunjy's three little ones were mesmerised by them :)

So ladybirds actually do have knees? Thought it was a wind up ::)

Title: Re: am I wierd or what
Post by: Heldi on April 13, 2007, 01:58:38

http://www.uksafari.com/ladybirds7.htm

Was visiting a garden further inland day before yesterday and was astounded by the amount of ladybirds.

Back home...non seen in back garden. One on lotty today.

Title: Re: am I wierd or what
Post by: baggieboy on April 13, 2007, 02:32:22

My nephew who is 9 said ' You can tell a ladybirds age by there spots. Surely he winding me up as usual ? .He loves wrestling so I can officially kick his ass if he is lying   ;D

Title: Re: am I wierd or what
Post by: Robert_Brenchley on April 13, 2007, 08:14:01

Last year there weren't meny because there was nothing for them to eat during the cold spring. I remember seeing a couple that were about half the normal size. There is the odd year when there are masses; there was an anormous number in 1976 (I think), and I remember great masses hatching out the following spring. Then they settled down again.

Title: Re: am I wierd or what
Post by: Common_Clay on April 13, 2007, 10:33:52

Quote from: MrsKP on April 12, 2007, 21:35:34

i only saw ONE last year and that was at WORK.  didn't see one in the garden at all.

saw a peacock butterfly at work today.  i'm wondering what that site has got that i haven't.

 :-\

Lots of weeds and all the ground in between allotments is left to do as it pleases. Great for wildlife, not so great when the grass decides to seed!

Title: Re: am I wierd or what
Post by: ninnyscrops on April 13, 2007, 20:27:01

Quote from: baggieboy on April 13, 2007, 02:32:22

My nephew who is 9 said ' You can tell a ladybirds age by there spots. Surely he winding me up as usual ? .He loves wrestling so I can officially kick his ass if he is lying   ;D

You mean after believing all this time it's not true!!!!