creepy crawlies attack

[muckshifter]

Fact, is more strange than fiction.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-13451458

 

[Taffycat]

Wow! Amazing to see so many of them. (Could lead to lots of "well ventilated" wooly-jumpers in due course, methinks!!)

 

[Abarbarian]

Blimey

 

[V_R]

Very odd, Looks like a shot out of a horror flick..

 

[floppybootstomp]

Totally irresponsible!

They no heard of birth control?

 

[floppybootstomp]

Actually when I first read the thread title I thought it was about a gang of traffic wardens on the prowl

And talking of creepy crawlies something is still munching the leaves on my tree plant. The only insect life I've seen nearby are black ants and spiders. Probably not the spiders so that leaves the ants. Thought I'd killed the little perishers off last year with a couple of those poison pods but no, they be back in the springtime with a vengenance

So, I'm off to the garden centre on Monday to get some seriously heavy artillery to exterminate the buggers.

 

[crazylegs]

Eurrgghh exploding Caterpillars..

 

[muckshifter]

Flops, change your plant, leave the ants.

 

[floppybootstomp]

Flops, change your plant, leave the ants.

Aye, I know, gives me no pleasure

I don't even know for sure whether it is the ants but they seem to be the only suspects, I've examined the plant many times but never found a caterpillar or anything at work nibbling.

I'm sure the ants came with one of the plants a friend gave me a few years ago, probably the one they're either eating or foraging actually.

And I actually like ants, I've lived at places where I've even left sugar out for them, as long as they don't invade my home, I'm in harmony with them.

But I like my plant more and I like my plant to have smooth leaves, not raggedy tatty leaves.

So I'm afraid it's curtains for them insects.

 

[Taffycat]

Sir Flopps... I'm wondering if the ants are innocent and your plant is being visited by leaf cutter bees? There are some piccies HERE, of the kind of damage they cause to leaves, so maybe you could compare them with yours.

 

[floppybootstomp]

Sir Flopps... I'm wondering if the ants are innocent and your plant is being visited by leaf cutter bees? There are some piccies HERE, of the kind of damage they cause to leaves, so maybe you could compare them with yours.

That is exactly it TC

Ok, ants get a reprieve, I did think it unlikely.

I have seen bees and what look like hornets visiting occasionally.

So what's the solution I wonder? Perhaps some fine mesh netting for a while?

 

[Taffycat]

That is exactly it TC

Ok, ants get a reprieve, I did think it unlikely.

I have seen bees and what look like hornets visiting occasionally.

So what's the solution I wonder? Perhaps some fine mesh netting for a while?

I think you've got it in one. According to a couple of websites, they advise covering susceptible plants with cheesecloth - or other loose netting - at times when the little critters are most active.

Are you going to give your resident ants a little sugary treat to celebrate their innocence?

 

[muckshifter]

oh well done TC, I knew ant can cut leaves, forgot about other insects.

Are you going to give your resident ants a little sugary treat to celebrate their innocence?

One lump or two ...

 

[bootneck02]

They make pretty patterns in the leaves though

 

[crazylegs]

The leaf cutter bees are amazing to watch, shame you gotta curtail them Mr Flopp's!

 

[floppybootstomp]

It seems to have stopped now, haven't seen any bees around.

Amazing they may be but they make my tree look silly

I left some sugar out for them ants, they didn't seem to touch it

 

[Taffycat]

Maybe they've stopped because they've chewed off sufficient bits of leaf for their nesting purposes(?)

Maybe it would be an interesting experiment to get a rose plant. Apparently, rose leaves are a favourite with the leaf-cutters. So although it might be a bit late for this season, it might be a distraction for them next year.

Just a thought.