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Produce => Pests & Diseases => Topic started by: manicscousers on July 26, 2010, 18:29:18

Title: Friend or pest?
Post by: manicscousers on July 26, 2010, 18:29:18
sorry it's a bit blurred, I didn't want to get too close, it was quite big  :o
any ideas, please  ??? ;D
if it helps, that's a potato leaf it's on  :)
Title: Re: Friend or pest?
Post by: small on July 26, 2010, 22:03:36
Mmm, 'tis a bit blurry, might it be a hoverfly? If so, I believe they eat aphids - I rescued one from a spider web today in that belief!
Title: Re: Friend or pest?
Post by: Georgie on July 26, 2010, 22:10:24
It looks - colour-wise - a bit like a ladybird larva.  Wonder if this is what they look like when the get legs???  ???

G x
Title: Re: Friend or pest?
Post by: manicscousers on July 26, 2010, 22:14:53
not a hoverfly, too big and I recognise them, definitely not a ladybird, again, too big, this was approx over 1" long, quite bright red and black stripes, anyway, i beat a hasty retreat  ;D
Title: Re: Friend or pest?
Post by: macmac on July 26, 2010, 22:32:43
(http://i606.photobucket.com/albums/tt149/macmac-photo/P7170123.jpg)is this the one ?-baby ladybird  :)
Title: Re: Friend or pest?
Post by: manicscousers on July 27, 2010, 09:10:00
nope, much bigger and deeper red
Title: Re: Friend or pest?
Post by: Digeroo on July 27, 2010, 09:21:56
Looks more like the harlequin ladybird larvae

http://www.wildaboutbritain.co.uk/forums/eggs-larvae-and-caterpillars/16951-harlequin-larva-adult.html

seems they  do have legs
Title: Re: Friend or pest?
Post by: manicscousers on July 27, 2010, 09:29:17
just had a look, this was definitely too big, unless it's a mutant  ;D
Title: Re: Friend or pest?
Post by: Unwashed on July 27, 2010, 09:48:31
There are some banded longhorn beetles, it might be one of those.  I don't think it'll harm your spuds, but the larvae are wood-eaters, so don't invite her home!

(http://www.naturalshropshire.org.uk/Portals/0/Images/Four-banded%20longhorn%20beetle.jpg)
Title: Re: Friend or pest?
Post by: manicscousers on July 27, 2010, 15:18:24
that's the one, thanks so much, unwashed, I can tell my mate to stop being a scaredy cat, thinking it's going to sting and the other thinking it was colorado beetle  :o ;D