Talkback: Insects and snow

Posts

• Gardeners' World Web User Posts: 17,147

  February 2009

  I'm sitting at my computer and suddenly I hear what sounds like a moth, battering the light-shade. Standing precariously on a chair I spot the insect I thought was a ladybird a few days ago, in the bedroom. This ladybird, however is black with. red spots and seems a little bit aggressive. Does anyone know what my little visitor is?

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• Gardeners' World Web User Posts: 17,147

  February 2009

  Hello Maggie. There are a few mainly black Ladybirds species, such as the Pine ladybird that has red spots. You could look at the UK Ladybird survey website for more info'- www.ladybird-survey.org or The Royal Entomological Society - www.royensoc.co.uk/classification_whatis_ladybirds.shtml?insect=ladybirds

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• Gardeners' World Web User Posts: 17,147

  February 2009

  This ladybird sounds as though it could be a Harlequin. Not to be oooh'd and aaah'd over, definitely not welcomed.

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• Gardeners' World Web User Posts: 17,147

  February 2009

  here in lerwick, shetland isles it may be a popular opinion that it is frozen, but we have a few signs of life already ie the honeysuckle has good buds, but not much else! the lupins have been green all winter so must be hardy even with snow.

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• Gardeners' World Web User Posts: 17,147

  February 2009

  Reply to Maggie and Moira.
  
  It may be the harlequin ladybird, Harmonia axiridis, but it is still too early to tell whether this will become an adversely invasive and problem species in Britain. I wrote about in my blog of 6 February 2008 and there were several comments from observers which you might find useful.
  
  http://blog.gardenersworld.com/2008/02/06/rj-harlequin-ladybird-06022008/
  
  In Japan, the harlequin peacefully coexists with both 7- and 2-spots, without apparent harm to either. In the USA, one of the main causes of complaint is the fact that large numbers of the harlequins seek winter shelter inside buildings. They have a particular scent which some people find unpleasant. Those objecting most loudly are wine producers, whose vats of fermenting grape juice are polluted by ladybirds falling in and tainting the liquor.

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• Gardeners' World Web User Posts: 17,147

  November 2011

  I thought we didn't like this intaloper because it not only eats the green fly (which is good) but after that they demollished our own native species, by eating them. yuk!!!

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• tony02476 Posts: 2

  April 2012

  can you please tell what this yellow centipeed like thing that i have found in my greenhouse,and is it bad for my cucumber&tomatoe plants and my peppers?

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