What insect builds a cocoon of leaves in soil (of spring cabbage seedlings)? I have creatures similar to wasps/bees that have made a hole in the soil of my spring cabbage seedlings and keep returning with small pieces of leaves. When I broke the soil away there are neat cocoons made of the leaves with a waxy substance inside. What are the creatures?
I don't know whether the comment by 'waspie' relates to the same beastie that attacks me quite often. I haven't needed hospital treatment yet but I'd love to know what it is. Can anyone help please? It is a really tiny bug but it's the only insect that's makes me exclaim loudly when it bites and if I don't get antihistamine cream on the area immediately, a huge, itchy blister appears. As I said it's tiny, black with white markings on it. It seems to lurk in shady places in the garden waiting for me! Thanks
hi could someone tell me what has nested in my bugbox log,its only been in the garden a few weeks and yesterday i noticed this small bee[of somesort] going in and out with a small piece of leaf,some of the holes have been blocked up already with a leaf,and ive just been watching it.is it the same bee thats blocked the other holes up? as its a very busy-bee....hahaha.
Reply to everyone. Many thanks for all your queries. Here are a few answers. Dragonfly. There is a long tradition of calling animals, even insects, cock and hen. We still talk about daddy-long-legs and ladybirds. Chafer is from the various European languages kafer, a beetle. Louiseww. Bees and butteflies visit a huge range and variety of flowers. To attract wildlife to a garden, planting flowers is actually way down the list of priorities, well below being untidy, leaving grass to grow long, making a log pile, putting in a pond. Tina. Many midges (biting and non-biting) have aquatic larvae. Paula M. If these are bumblebees, they will probably repair their damaged nest, which is little more than a tumble of grass and herbage anyway. Lindaburgess. Lily beetles. Squish ‘em. Although I did not write about them in my very first blog on this site, there are plenty of comments by visitors after the event. http://blog.gardenersworld.com/2007/07/11/richard-jones-july-post1/ Lyn and Sarahs pondlife. Leafcutter bees. We get them every year. http://blog.gardenersworld.com/2008/02/27/rj-rose-pests-2702008/
Reply to Louiseww - Hi, Louise,I have honey bees and grow all sorts for them, but they usually pass them for more exciting plants elsewhere. Contrary little bees... To be honest, if you search the internet for plants for honey bees, loads of information will 'spring up'. Have put a few here for you. Hope this helps? SHRUBS Berberis, Buckthorn, Buddleia, Cotoneaster, Erica, Genista, Ribes, Snowy Mespilus, Snowberry, Veronica. PERENNIALS AND BIENNIALS Anchusa, Arabis, Aubrieta, Campanulas, Canterbury Bells, Cranes-Bill, Centaurea, Forget Me Nots, French Honeysuckles, Globe Thistle, Hollyhock, Linaria, Mallow, Michaelmas Daisy, Nepeta, Rose-Bay, Salvias, Sidalcea, Sedums, Veronica, Verbascum, Violet, Wallflower. SUMMER BEDDING PLANTS Dahlias, Fuchasia, Heliotrope. BULBS Crocus, Hyacinth, Narcissus, Snowdrops, ANNUALS Borage, Cornflower, Clarkia, Limnanthes, Mignonette, Phacelia, Scabious
I will grow anything that says it attractive to bees, butterflies etc and I am completely at home with my weeds! However, I have a number of the sterile hardy geraniums - Rozanne and Jolly Bee (I always thought they were the same anyway) and I now wonder if they have any nectar. The bees go to the blooms, but do not seem to stay long. I hope they are not wasting time and energy. Any thoughts
On the 31st of July my wife Joyce called me into the garden and asked me what it was that was buzzing round the budleija, oh,I said casually,that is the great northern humming bird hawk moth.then I explained-I had read of it only the day before in this mag as being in the south of England.Has it been seen this far north previously? Much larger range than expected as we live in Cheshire!!
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I have creatures similar to wasps/bees that have made a hole in the soil of my spring cabbage seedlings and keep returning with small pieces of leaves. When I broke the soil away there are neat cocoons made of the leaves with a waxy substance inside. What are the creatures?
It is a really tiny bug but it's the only insect that's makes me exclaim loudly when it bites and if I don't get antihistamine cream on the area immediately, a huge, itchy blister appears. As I said it's tiny, black with white markings on it. It seems to lurk in shady places in the garden waiting for me!
Thanks
Hazel
as its a very busy-bee....hahaha.
Dragonfly. There is a long tradition of calling animals, even insects, cock and hen. We still talk about daddy-long-legs and ladybirds. Chafer is from the various European languages kafer, a beetle.
Louiseww. Bees and butteflies visit a huge range and variety of flowers. To attract wildlife to a garden, planting flowers is actually way down the list of priorities, well below being untidy, leaving grass to grow long, making a log pile, putting in a pond.
Tina. Many midges (biting and non-biting) have aquatic larvae.
Paula M. If these are bumblebees, they will probably repair their damaged nest, which is little more than a tumble of grass and herbage anyway.
Lindaburgess. Lily beetles. Squish ‘em. Although I did not write about them in my very first blog on this site, there are plenty of comments by visitors after the event. http://blog.gardenersworld.com/2007/07/11/richard-jones-july-post1/
Lyn and Sarahs pondlife. Leafcutter bees. We get them every year. http://blog.gardenersworld.com/2008/02/27/rj-rose-pests-2702008/
SHRUBS Berberis, Buckthorn, Buddleia, Cotoneaster, Erica, Genista, Ribes, Snowy Mespilus, Snowberry, Veronica. PERENNIALS AND BIENNIALS Anchusa, Arabis, Aubrieta, Campanulas, Canterbury Bells, Cranes-Bill, Centaurea, Forget Me Nots, French Honeysuckles, Globe Thistle, Hollyhock, Linaria, Mallow, Michaelmas Daisy, Nepeta, Rose-Bay, Salvias, Sidalcea, Sedums, Veronica, Verbascum, Violet, Wallflower. SUMMER BEDDING PLANTS Dahlias, Fuchasia, Heliotrope. BULBS Crocus, Hyacinth, Narcissus, Snowdrops, ANNUALS Borage, Cornflower, Clarkia, Limnanthes, Mignonette, Phacelia, Scabious
I will insert into Insectclopedia.com
me into the garden and asked me what it was that was buzzing round the budleija,
oh,I said casually,that is the great northern humming bird hawk moth.then I
explained-I had read of it only the day
before in this mag as being in the south
of England.Has it been seen this far north previously? Much larger range than
expected as we live in Cheshire!!