Sunday, December 4, 2011

It's a squishy problem

 A couple of posts ago (FYI, Tuesday, November 8, 2011) I let you know about the nasty 28 spotted ladybeetle and thought I'd share an odd 28 spotted ladybeetle experience I had today.


It all started early this morning while I was working in the veggie garden when I noticed a couple of 28 spotted ladybeetles sunning themselves on one of my potato bushes and having a good old munch on my potato leaves as well no doubt.


 In the past I've never bothered with them because I'd only ever see one or two on a plant and think 'they couldn't do that much damage' and would then be surprised at the damage that was done. Today though I thought ' I'll fix you ya little buggers' and I squished the few I saw but during the day when I walked past the same potato bushes I'd notice a few more and then I'd squish them too.


  By the end of the day I'd squished 44 of the buggers off five different potato bushes and now I can see why so much damage occurs. What I haven't worked out though where they hide or where they come from or why I only see two or three at a time because I gave each plant a good looking over after I'd removed the obvious beetles and never found any sign of any more but and hour later I'd go past and there'd be another two or three on each plant. I can see I'm going to have to keep up my squishy vigilance if I am to keep on top of this spotty problem but there remains a few questions that I need answers for..


Cheers


Stewart

3 comments:

Unknown said...

I've been squishing them too after I read your previous post about them. And leaving the 6 spotted (red and yellow on black) ones alone. They seem to come from nowhere and eat SO much very quickly!

My Veggie Garden said...

You too. I'd love to know where they hide. I went up and checked again yesterday and couldn't find any so I'm hoping they have run out of troops for now. And I agree they are hungry little buggers.
Good luck liz

Stewart.

clanmc61 said...

Today I killed over 100 bugs in my garden made up of 28 spotted ladybettles and also what i think are orange blase bettles that work in conjunction with each other blase bettle on top of leaf and 28 spot underneath at the same spot.

Phil Mc