Wednesday, April 8, 2015

Olga's Bowls, and Fierce Red Beetles


I used to occasionally write about the great sunlight in our previous apartment, in Notting Hill. Well, I would be remiss if I didn't point out that we get pretty great light here, too. This is a corner of our overly large foyer, where we keep Olga's dog dishes and my former dining room table. That short door leads into a storage space beneath the stairs to the flat above us.


Our yellow daffodils seem to be on the wane, with lots of white ones coming in to replace them. I believe all the white ones were planted by Dave and our gardener last summer. I didn't realize they were white at the time. Dave put some in the blue pot occupied by the horseradish, which hasn't started sprouting yet. Just as well -- the minute it does I'll have to start fending off slugs!


Speaking of pests: Yesterday, when we got home from work, Dave found this pair of amorous red beetles on our fritillaria. He and I took pictures, thinking they were rather pretty. "I bet they're something terrible," I said, jokingly. When I looked them up, lo and behold, I was right! They're scarlet lily beetles, which attack lilies and fritillarias. (Headline on a March 2009 article in the Daily Mail: "Beware the red lily killer beetles set to wreak havoc on UK gardeners.")

I went outside and plucked off the beetles, carried them to a far corner of the yard and threw them behind the shed. I probably should have just killed them outright, but I felt bad enough breaking up their party. I bet they find the fritillaria again in no time!

6 comments:

  1. I have to say that the name "fritillaria" sounds a bit racy, somehow. Seems like a logical location for those beetles' activity!

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  2. Cruel to be kind...
    Nice shot, though.

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  3. I plucked a snail about the size of a quarter off the clump of spider lilies and threw it as hard and as far as I could across the yard. stink bugs, though, I'll kill. they ruin tomatoes.

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  4. You are so kind to all creatures.
    P.S. I had to laugh at Marty's comment. It's perfect.

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