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Is 2020 the summer of the insects?

herbaceousherbaceous Posts: 2,318
in The potting shed
Not a scientific survey but I certainly feel as though my slug hunts reveal more insect larvae than slugs.  I also note that the usual moaning posts about slug damage appear to be far fewer this year.

Was it that hot spell March/April do you think?
"The trouble with having an open mind, of course, is that people will insist on coming along and trying to put things in it."  Sir Terry Pratchett
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Posts

  • K67K67 Posts: 2,506
    Definitely the year of the vine weevil in my garden!
  • B3B3 Posts: 27,505
    Very few insects and slugs noticed. However, after the rain the other day, there were a few fat brown slugs on the path. The grass would normally be covered in snails, though.
    Also, no aphids to speak of on my bay tree, but I put it down to two sparrow colonies, one of which spends a lot of time congregating in there.
    In London. Keen but lazy.
  • herbaceousherbaceous Posts: 2,318
    I'm going to cross my fingers your situation does not descend into WEdgesgate @k67 !  It feels as though every year is vine weevil year for poor @wild edges
    "The trouble with having an open mind, of course, is that people will insist on coming along and trying to put things in it."  Sir Terry Pratchett
  • herbaceousherbaceous Posts: 2,318
    I suspect the local sparrows have had a field day in my garden too @B3 ,  I just wish they wouldn't pull all the petals off the pansies for fun  :s 

    I would normally be complaining myself about slugs eating the basil, peppers, peas and beans but this year I have been removing caterpillars from everything (thinking I must have had a tomato moth in the greenhouse for sure) except the peas which were blown down by the wind  :/ 
    "The trouble with having an open mind, of course, is that people will insist on coming along and trying to put things in it."  Sir Terry Pratchett
  • B3B3 Posts: 27,505
    I haven't seen a cherry plum blossom for years. The sparrows eat the lot. They went for the blossom buds on my acer too, but thats no big deal 
    In London. Keen but lazy.
  • FireFire Posts: 19,096
    Much fewer slugs and snails this year. But Swamped, Coated and Crusted in aphids, even now.
  • herbaceousherbaceous Posts: 2,318
    Oh dear @Fire that doesn't sound good,  weird isn't it?  I seem to have more flies, came down this morning to find thunderflies stuck all over the bar of soap!
    "The trouble with having an open mind, of course, is that people will insist on coming along and trying to put things in it."  Sir Terry Pratchett
  • BigladBiglad Posts: 3,265
    Loads of brians have been chucked in my bin as well as the greedy cyrils. Caterpillars have also been having a go at my veg.
    East Lancs
  • BraidmanBraidman Posts: 274
    Loads of slugs and snails, big ones and even bigger ones, they just ignore the slug pellets and go for the hostas and lettuce.
    Millions of white butterflies, so lots of caterpillars on the cabbages, but there have been lots of different butterflies and moths which I have not seen for some years.
    Bumble and honey bees in abundance, not so many hoverflies, but the leafcutter bees have been having a field day in the cacti pots in the greenhouse, lots of trouble then next year!
    Not so many ladybirds or their larvae this year though!

  • FireFire Posts: 19,096
    Braidman
     the leafcutter bees have been having a field day in the cacti pots in the greenhouse

    Leafcutter bees like cacti?


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