Whilst plaing golf at Saunton Golf Club in North Devon, I came across a considerable mass of ladybirds mostly on a small 'prickly' bush just off the fairway but I have only seen the odd one or two in my garden which is on the outskirts of Barnstaple.
I am in Gloucestershire, have't seen one ladybird and only a couple of butterflies. Lots of bees though. Unfortunately disturbed a wasp nest hidden in a bag of decomposing leaves and got a very nasty sting. Still nursing a swollen wrist..ouch!
Here in Derbyshire I have only seen one - earlier in the year - and wonder if my massive flock of starlings, sparrows, tits and finches could have eaten them? I feed the birds with mealworms every morning so hopefully they haven't eaten the ladybird larvae? Sad to see that ladybirds are in hiding. x
i live on isle of wight.. and i have not seen one this year so far.. the aphids and black fly have just appeared in their droves over last two weeks.. and nothing but ants is eating them.
i have had bees but not on smae number as last year. normally my nepeta is covered in them.. and the ones that are about are small..
it is worrying as to where hey have gone.. wonder if it is to do with everything being 4 weeks behind due to cold easter..
I'd like to think it's because everything is late this year but I haven't seen any of their larvae either? As for bees, well I've had a good few bumble bees but not many honey bees. Loads of greenfly/blackfly around and HUGE amounts of slugs & snails that are trying to eat everything! Gonna have to resort to those blue pellets I think cos eco-friendly things aren't working on them. Are those blue pellets OK to put down when there's lots of birdies about?
No not realy have you got an old Bit of slate or a broken pot you could put them under so the birds cant reach them, the slugs will find the pellets and you can remove the bodies in the morning
Wow! There seems to be a real difference around the country. Some places have loads and other have none. I'm hoping that it's because everything is so late (like liggylaura) and once they appear they make short work of the black fly and green fly - it wil be a bug-fest when they do!
Hope you all enjoy the heatwave - watering cans at the ready, high factor sun cream and sunglasses too! Oh, and maybe a glass of wine!
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Whilst plaing golf at Saunton Golf Club in North Devon, I came across a considerable mass of ladybirds mostly on a small 'prickly' bush just off the fairway but I have only seen the odd one or two in my garden which is on the outskirts of Barnstaple.
I have a lot of the larvae on my senetti
Dunno why they seem to be favouring that particular plant though lol
I am in Gloucestershire, have't seen one ladybird and only a couple of butterflies. Lots of bees though. Unfortunately disturbed a wasp nest hidden in a bag of decomposing leaves and got a very nasty sting. Still nursing a swollen wrist..ouch!
Here in Derbyshire I have only seen one - earlier in the year - and wonder if my massive flock of starlings, sparrows, tits and finches could have eaten them? I feed the birds with mealworms every morning so hopefully they haven't eaten the ladybird larvae? Sad to see that ladybirds are in hiding. x
i live on isle of wight.. and i have not seen one this year so far.. the aphids and black fly have just appeared in their droves over last two weeks.. and nothing but ants is eating them.
i have had bees but not on smae number as last year. normally my nepeta is covered in them.. and the ones that are about are small..
it is worrying as to where hey have gone.. wonder if it is to do with everything being 4 weeks behind due to cold easter..
I'd like to think it's because everything is late this year but I haven't seen any of their larvae either? As for bees, well I've had a good few bumble bees but not many honey bees. Loads of greenfly/blackfly around and HUGE amounts of slugs & snails that are trying to eat everything! Gonna have to resort to those blue pellets I think cos eco-friendly things aren't working on them. Are those blue pellets OK to put down when there's lots of birdies about?
No not realy have you got an old Bit of slate or a broken pot you could put them under so the birds cant reach them, the slugs will find the pellets and you can remove the bodies in the morning
Wow! There seems to be a real difference around the country. Some places have loads and other have none. I'm hoping that it's because everything is so late (like liggylaura) and once they appear they make short work of the black fly and green fly - it wil be a bug-fest when they do!
Hope you all enjoy the heatwave - watering cans at the ready, high factor sun cream and sunglasses too! Oh, and maybe a glass of wine!
Aphids by the million but not a single ladybird, larva or adult.
Beer traps work, but there are too many slugs and snails in my garden. Torch and a pointed stick after dark.......!
Never use metaldehyde please... Hedgehogs can find corpses even if birds can't.
I haven't seen a single ladybugs so far up here in Angus. Loads of slugs and snails, not many greenfly or black f ly.