Bug Log 10-01-07

[mark smyth]

Ian you missed the chance to call this week's log Bug Log

At the stage your greenfly are at the came from virgin births and clones of the female who bore them. Anthony can tell us more. Great shots of the flat worm eggs and young. I found vine weevils in the garden last week while weeding out Welsh Poppies. If only they could be become genetically modified to eat all weeds


http://www.srgc.org.uk/bulblog/log2007/100107/log.html

[SueG]

Mark

How come you've seen the log - it's not on the web site when I've just been and looked!

Sue

[mark smyth]

at work and when the cats away the rats will play!

[Anthony Darby]

Today's log was on the web when I was looking at lunch time today.

Ian, try adding any old spices (not the aftershave) to your bird seed. Chilli powder works quite well, and pepper too. Birds can't taste it but mammals like squirrels (and us) can and don't like it.

Mark is correct about virgin births in wingless aphids in spring and summer, although I found a winged one on my classroom window today. This creates a large sedentary population very quickly, which then produces the winged mobile adults in late spring and early summer. They have very complex lifecycles with sexual forms producing eggs that overwinter. Some are farmed by ants which guard them, taking some forms into their nests where they feed on plant roots. The reward for the ant is 'honeydew' - that awful substance that coats the cars of anyone foolish enough to park under e.g. a lime tree (Tilia spp.). It is a waste product extrated from the phloem of the plant by the aphid's hypodermic-like beak or rostrum. As this sap is relatively low in proteins but rich in sugars, aphids need to suck great quantities of it in order to get enough protein, releasing the excess through their anus. On leaves it is soon attractive to bees and wasps as well as ants and may be later colonised by a black fungus. Aphids belong to the sub-order Homoptera in the order Hemiptera (Bugs).The largest Homopterans are the cicadas. Thank goodness, global warming aside, we are free of them!

[claykoplin]

Wouldn't you sprinkle the pepper on the crocus and let the squirrels have at the bird seed? 
A little pepper on a counter top is a great cat deterrent if you employ one for mouse control and the cat gets the run of the house.
I noted bulbs wedged tight in the bottom of the slug pot (I have noticed this is a favorite hiding place for slugs in my locale as well, those great black monsters up to 15cm in length who delight in chomping dahlias by the gallon), though it appears the compost all dumped out.  One had roots and one had none (maybe the slug chewed them off).  Maybe those are fritillaria bulbs jamming themselves in the nether depths of their pot?
I had a horrible infestation of aphids the first year I planted my unheated greenhouse three summers ago (they love pepper blossoms).  I resisted the urge to spray but turned a couple thousand lady bugs loose and their population subsided a little.  I  have not seen a single aphid in the two years following.  There are so many thousands of spiders of many different varieties (all small and non-poisonous) spinning webs in every nook and cranny, I wonder if it isn't the spiders controlling their population? 
I noted there was no query as to wether the bulb log should continue for another year but I'm sure I echo the sentiments of thousands that we are sure happy to see it going forward again.  Thank you again for your time and committment to my favorite stop on the world wide web and happy gardening in the New Year! 

[KentGardener]

Ian,  the flat worm is horrible looking - I had heard of them 'being a menace' but have never seen one before.  Don't think they have reached my area of Kent yet.

What I did have this year was hundreds of the 'killer ladybird' feasting on the infestation of greenfly living in a clematis montata wilsonii.

regards

John

[mark smyth]

John I think I'm right in saying the flat worm is present across the country. There is a new addition too. The Australian flat worm. The NZ flat worm loves hiding under stones, pots and especially plastic with for eg bark on top. In the summer put a plastic bag on the groun and cover it with something that will keep it in place. Check underneath in a few weeks.

[Joakim B]

Ian This was a very good and balanced desription of pests and how to get rid of them.
This clearly make sure how little You use.
Maybe I got the impresion that You used a lot by reading 4 Years of bulb log in 2 weeks and hence read about Your troubles not that seldom.
Now it is clear for every one.
Like the others I hope You will continue with the bulb log it is very inspirational.

Kind regards
Joakim

[Ian Y]

Yes Mark I should have been quicker and had the bug log for this week.
I am pleased to see the mice and squirrel eat the bird seed to satisfy their hunger, then they leave my bulbs alone.
Clay, the bulbs you spotted peaking out through the bottom of the pot are erythroniums.
John, perhaps the flat worms prefer the cooler moist conditions of the far north, not that I didn't see plenty of rain when I was down in Kent in early December. I understand there are several species or varieties of flat worm in the UK now.
Hope you have found the bulb log now Sue, sometimes your computer will pull the index page from its cache and you need to hit refresh to bring the latest page in.
Joakim, reading four years of logs in two weeks you deserve a medal.
Thanks to you all for your support and good wishes regarding year 5 of the bulb log, with out your interest and support their would be no point in me continuing.

[David Nicholson]

Ian, just to add to what others have already said, the Bulb Log is an absolutely wonderful, and for many of us a vital, resource and my Wednesdays/Thursdays would be seriously lacking if it wasn't there. I can recognise though that for you having to come up with something new and fresh each week must at times feel like a penance. As long as you are prepared to write it, thousands of us out here are prepared to continue soaking up the knowledge and experience you impart with grateful thanks. 

[SueG]

No problem seeing the page now - thanks for the picture of a flat worm - not seen any of those yet.
Sue

[Anthony Darby]

We have them here aplenty.

[annew]

Ian, I think we'd all agree that it's YOU who deserves the medal!

[Ian Y]

Funny that you should mention Medals Anne.
I have been told that I have to tell you that we just got one.
More in next weeks log.

[annew]

I'm agog for the Log.