Kitchen Garden Forum

Squillions of ladybirds.
Funny I never noticed any larva, but they are out there, on the lawn, in among the veggie beds climbing up my tomatoes, mountaineering on my stacked herb pots, suddenly they have all appeared from nowhere, one just dropped on my lunch plate, travelled in on my clothes, it lay on its back kicking its legs in the air till rescued and returned to the wild.

We've had lots of larvae so the adults must have migtrated to you!

LOL, and thank you, they are very welcome!
Saw a lovely common blue butterfly today, on some birdsfoot trefoil which is their preference I believe.

Only two ladybirds here, and that was months ago

Not a single aphid either

Hi Alan, so many ladybirds I'm amazed if there are any whitefly left, also loads of hoverflies, honey bees, bumbles, and some beautiful butterflies.

Our buchod coch (red cows!) = ladybirds have obviously migrated to Sussex where there is food

The adults must have been later emerging - we have plenty now!

Hi Gallotments. They even inspired a haiku

Her highway
a blade of grass,
ladybird.

Glad yours didn't forsake you, cute aren't they, smiles.

Lots of ladybirds here, and what an excellent job they have done of clearing the Blackfly.
So no need to spray anything.

Same here OH, most were on the nasturtiums, and they made short work of them. Loads of hoverflies too, cleaned the lean to greenhouse for me, then decided to check out the dining room ! Like you no spraying , and no problems either, it takes nerve to wait for it but nature strikes a balance given a chance.

Nature's Babe wrote:Hi Gallotments. They even inspired a haiku

Her highway
a blade of grass,
ladybird.

Glad yours didn't forsake you, cute aren't they, smiles.

Takes me back to teaching 11 year olds literacy!

Hi Gallotments. Do they teach 11 year olds haiku now? We had Shakespeare, classic poets and Chaucer.

Nature's Babe wrote:Hi Gallotments. Do they teach 11 year olds haiku now? We had Shakespeare, classic poets and Chaucer.

They did 10 years ago (when I left teaching) - but like all 'strategies' the government keep changing things.

They now seem to have had a 'great new idea' for the primary curriculum - the 'great idea' was how we used to teach when I left college. That was later thrown out by the gov of the day (also Conservative) years ago as not good enough and seems to have now come back into fashion!! They think it's a new thing but ideas in education seem to be cyclical!

Old boys network, jobs for the boys, they have to be seen to be doing something, LOL

The young Ladybirds off of the Runner beans, have now moved to the grey aphids on the Brussel sprout plants, pure magic is nature.

I think i have put this in the right thread!