No Ladybirds

After a aphid free year on my veg last year I have noticed quite an increase in greenfly and white fly, and have not spotted a single ladybird....
I know theres a rouge ladybird sweeping the country at the moment doing all sorts of damage but theres no sign of that on my little plot.
Also noticed not as many hoverflys or bees about as well.
Plus after a slug free year last year I have found some micro slugs on my runners. These things are about 2 to 3 mm long.
Also the usual infestation of white fly on my copper beech hedge is not happening,
Strange goings on the natural world that is roberts garden
robert

 

Hi Robert, there was an item on tv this morning all about ladybirds and whether people should kill the rogue ladybirds. The conclusion was it would make no difference so leave them alone.
I have seen a few ladybirds but more greenfly than ever before.

 

One of the worst things I ever did in my garden was pull out a huge overgrown santolina, it was full of ladybirds-hundreds literally. I haven't ever seen that many since-needless to say I am currently growing santolina again.

 

Hi Robert

No ladybirds to be seen down here, as yet. Not of any type.

But it's interesting that you mention micro slugs because I've been plagued by those little blighters in my raised beds where they've been spoiling my radishes and lettuces. I don't think they're a different type, they're just ordinary slugs which haven't grown to full size yet. I think. They're too small to find and kill manually and they don't seem to touch pellets. They're just a menace because they spoil so much stuff.

 

http://news.sky.com/skynews/Home/UK...atens_British_Native_Species,_Scientists_Warn

This on Sky News about them today

 

Yes that was the article on the morning programme Sam. I don't like the sound of getting a bite from one of them though :skp:

 

No, i know Jazmine .... thats what I thought when I saw they bite !!

 

Remember the old gardeners philosophy "we need a good cold winter to kill off all the bugs" I think we had a cold enough winter but it doesn't seem to have had a big effect on the bug population, there's more aphids this year than ever.

 

I don't know what micro slugs are but my poor clematis is a mass of greenfly now. :( The little blighters spread from a bed of sweet williams and seem to be covering a lot of flowers [in the front garden]

 

had a 7 spot ladybird on my hand last night,nice to see it

 

\i saw one this morning, 5 spot, on thistle, and looked for ages but couldn't find any more

 

If a seven spot and five spot get it together.... is the outcome a six spot?:rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:

 

I was going to do some weedkillering over at the allotment today while the weather is good but me fat hen has Ladybird Larva on the plants so had a change of heart and left them to it.Our allotment plots are covered with ladybirds,butterflies,Cabbage Whites,Bees and Damsel flies so we must be doing something right,oh and we also have Kestrels hovering overhead:D

 

Hi Capney
I was saying on the wildlife forum at the beginning of June, i hadn`t, and still haven`t, seen any ladybirds , Walnut said there was loads near him.

 

Still no sightings in the Vale of York...:(