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Bugs - Pests
Bugs-don't let the bugs bug you this summer. There are a massive number of creatures in your garden. Some creatures are very beneficial, some are a complete pain to the gardener. Some look pretty, but virtually all do damage. Some look lethal and yet they are harmless. Some times they are invisible and all you see is the damage to the plant in question. Where do you draw the line, between a bug worth worrying about and one worth ignoring? I think the answer is down to the individual with the garden. Register for FREE if you have not already registered and then click HERE to create a NEWTOPIC and tell us about your problem Bugs?
Ants on the stems of plants are only there because they want to eat the aphid eggs. Aphids sap sucking insects such as greenfly. I have had a commercial spraying certificate for many years and the bottom line message is only spray chemicals as a last resort. Nowadays, there are only a handful of sprays on the market and it is essential to meet all health and safety requirements and read the label carefully to check that it does what you want. If you have a plant with a deformity and you are not sure what the problem may be and you have a digital camera then you could take a digital photograph, write a brief description and upload it into the Pests and Disease Forum in Gardenerstalk and hopefully get a diagnosis from someone with a potential remedy. Please note, anything doing damage in your garden, from rabbits to deer and even children's footballs are pests!! Sometimes it is worth just getting to the bottom of the cause, just in case it is not a one off and you want to avoid a recurrence. A good example of this, would be the Leafcutter Bee. The leaves on the affected plants would have up to be 1 inch long and a third of an inch deep with "C" shaped notches cut out of the leaves. Generally do this on one or two plants next to each other, often roses, but not necessarily. The Bee very rarely returns to the same plant the following season. Trying to kill them would be sacrilege, as they are excellent pollinators too. Don't be frightened to find out and then when you have the answer you can proceed correctly. Bugs away. Register for FREE if you have not already registered and then click HERE to create a NEWTOPIC and tell us about your problem Bugs? |
