Dave and I were out in the garden a few weeks ago, checking out our roses, when we saw that much of the fresh, new spring foliage was infested with aphids. This is a regular occurrence, so we weren't too concerned. We don't spray for aphids -- in fact we do almost no pest control (except resorting to slug pellets in desperate situations).
Anyway, when we looked again a few days ago, we noticed that nature was taking care of the problem by itself. The plants were loaded with ladybugs -- or as the British call them, ladybirds.
I think these are all harlequin ladybirds, the invasive variety from Asia. Apparently they come in many different patterns, and these are all common variations. I don't mean to be too sanguine about invasive species, because I know it's a major issue -- but honestly, I'm happy as long as they're eating the aphids!
Last night while walking home from work I popped into Waterstone's, a British chain of book shops. I had to pick up some gift cards as prizes for a competition at school. I noticed a display of "Bish Bash Bosh!" -- the vegan cookbook co-authored by fellow blogger Yorkshire Pudding's son Ian. So I bought a copy, autographed by the authors -- probably one of those 13,000 books they signed back in February! Dave and I are not vegan, but we eat vegetarian quite frequently, so we'll make use of it, I'm sure. Those neon-green page edges are quite eye-catching.
I'm sure you know this, but there are gardening supply businesses that sell ladybugs to use as natural aphid contol. Lucky you to get them for free!
ReplyDeleteYP will be happy to see you have a copy of the new book!
Oh wow! That's so great that you bought "Bish Bash BOSH!" I believe that the Waterstones print has six extra recipes.
ReplyDeleteWhat great shots of all the ladybugs' different colors.
ReplyDeleteI thought at first you'd mail-ordered them in to solve the aphid issue - some people do.
Those are the one bug in the world that doesn't creep me out. Even when years ago when we had a lake house and every spring we'd return to find what appeared to be thousands of them on our sliding glass door and somehow inside the house.
They vacuum up easily :0;
I didn't know that there were different varieties of ladybugs. I think I've only ever seen the one kind. I'm glad they were there to clean up this nasty aphids. That cookbook sounds interesting. You will have to let us know what recipes you have tried.
ReplyDeleteThat's so cool that you bought Mr. P.'s son's cookbook!
ReplyDeleteThose lady bugs are enchanting. Why would the English call them lady birds? That's the name of LBJ's wife, not a bug.
I could be wrong but I think they are beetles.
ReplyDeletesuch a variety! I'll have to pay more attention here.
ReplyDeleteI am going to Scotland in May so I'll be able to pop into either the Edinburgh or the Glasgow or the Kirkwall Waterstone's and get me one of those Bish Bash BOSH books. I won't settle for the Americanized version. I want the real thing.
ReplyDeleteLadybugs are cute. I like the ones with the many little dots best.
I love seeing all the varieties of Lady Bug Beetles you have there, even if some of them are invasive. We haven't seen any aphids here yet, but the slugs are eating our dahlias as they push their way up through the clay soil. I wonder if they have a natural predator. I'm going to look for YP's son's book. I'm not vegan but I am a vegetarian.
ReplyDeleteDo you happen to remember "The Ladybugs' Picnic" counting song from Sesame Street? You can listen here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ouZvzx3Vgkw if you have a lot of free time! I used to use it with kindergartners in art class and have them paint ladybugs. Nice memory!
ReplyDeleteThe third (orange) one is the kind that has invaded us recently. I like red ladybugs (the ones we grew up with) but the Asian ones eat monarch butterfly eggs as well as aphids, and they can cause irritation and gastrointestinal distress in pets if more than a few are eaten. Also, they're just not as cute as the regular ones, lol
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