tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-174929999542605112.post2582084873156115175..comments2023-08-16T18:56:13.685+10:00Comments on diary of a suburban gardener: who ate the aphids? a catmint garden mysterySue Catminthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14242341696447975933noreply@blogger.comBlogger40125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-174929999542605112.post-12565484272764453342013-11-16T08:14:35.976+11:002013-11-16T08:14:35.976+11:00Dear Alastair, I laughed when I read this. There a...Dear Alastair, I laughed when I read this. There are no monster Australian hoverfly species that I know of! Our hoverflies are tiny too. I just got close up with the camera. Sue Catminthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14242341696447975933noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-174929999542605112.post-64087182776091292242013-11-16T08:10:31.395+11:002013-11-16T08:10:31.395+11:00Thanks, Karen.Thanks, Karen.Sue Catminthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14242341696447975933noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-174929999542605112.post-36814589561541488082013-11-16T08:09:45.907+11:002013-11-16T08:09:45.907+11:00thanks, Holley. I used to get upset seeing baddies...thanks, Holley. I used to get upset seeing baddies, now it's all part of trying to understand the ecosystem.Sue Catminthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14242341696447975933noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-174929999542605112.post-85424492282643710912013-11-16T04:22:47.452+11:002013-11-16T04:22:47.452+11:00Hi Sue
I keep hearing how the ladybirds take care ...Hi Sue<br />I keep hearing how the ladybirds take care of the aphids, never see enough of them at the right time though. We do get plenty of hoverflies, not as big as your magnificent specimen. Alistairhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17104382970502166560noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-174929999542605112.post-75795499820614355252013-11-15T13:59:41.244+11:002013-11-15T13:59:41.244+11:00You are so patient to wait for the aphid eaters. L...You are so patient to wait for the aphid eaters. Lovely shots too Sue have a nice weekend.Karenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08008574463499280758noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-174929999542605112.post-46854100935808738882013-11-15T01:05:28.800+11:002013-11-15T01:05:28.800+11:00Hooray, hooray, hooray! Three cheers for the bene...Hooray, hooray, hooray! Three cheers for the beneficials! I usually don't mind seeing a few baddies in my garden, knowing they will attract the good guys to my garden. Great closeups and information!HolleyGardenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14892421871044249940noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-174929999542605112.post-35530300471936337192013-11-12T22:59:57.317+11:002013-11-12T22:59:57.317+11:00It's great when it works out like this it did ...It's great when it works out like this it did this time.Sue Catminthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14242341696447975933noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-174929999542605112.post-91385958442288981212013-11-12T22:58:44.220+11:002013-11-12T22:58:44.220+11:00Thanks for the encouragement. I'll keep you po...Thanks for the encouragement. I'll keep you posted if anything comes of it.Sue Catminthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14242341696447975933noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-174929999542605112.post-59928755167683833082013-11-12T02:34:26.400+11:002013-11-12T02:34:26.400+11:00Oh I love nature and how she takes care of things ...Oh I love nature and how she takes care of things like thisDonnahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13420133886162844400noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-174929999542605112.post-9303856963009558302013-11-11T22:52:29.604+11:002013-11-11T22:52:29.604+11:00That was a cute story - I especially liked the bea...That was a cute story - I especially liked the bears in their very small house! But I still think the aphid one has potential.Lynhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11627975259420138572noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-174929999542605112.post-48450648035346025402013-11-06T22:50:24.234+11:002013-11-06T22:50:24.234+11:00Good persuading! That's what people found out ...Good persuading! That's what people found out to their cost - eliminate one species and you end up with too many of their food source. European wasps are nasty pests here, very scary and aggressive, but I wouldn't spray them, because chances are other insects would be harmed. Sue Catminthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14242341696447975933noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-174929999542605112.post-7209610272031220152013-11-06T22:44:52.456+11:002013-11-06T22:44:52.456+11:00Hi VW, beautifully put - i.e. good help in the gar...Hi VW, beautifully put - i.e. good help in the garden so hard to find ... lol!Sue Catminthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14242341696447975933noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-174929999542605112.post-38040672056774928162013-11-06T22:43:49.458+11:002013-11-06T22:43:49.458+11:00... and incredibly complicated, ambiguous at times...... and incredibly complicated, ambiguous at times and with so much to learn!Sue Catminthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14242341696447975933noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-174929999542605112.post-24451994118201804952013-11-06T11:58:50.914+11:002013-11-06T11:58:50.914+11:00A nice bit of sleuthing dear Catmint! Isn't n...A nice bit of sleuthing dear Catmint! Isn't nature fascinating (and a little scary?) outlawgardenerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08273973572989510382noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-174929999542605112.post-31983317816442609732013-11-06T10:03:05.158+11:002013-11-06T10:03:05.158+11:00Very interesting post! My husband hates wasps and ...Very interesting post! My husband hates wasps and often carries a can of insecticide with him, a practice that hurts my organic soul. Then I read that wasps eat aphids! So I persuaded him to be more moderate with his spraying, since he hates aphids as much as he hates wasps.debsgardenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15656883577922890561noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-174929999542605112.post-42770901874559450602013-11-06T08:21:56.645+11:002013-11-06T08:21:56.645+11:00Hooray for those aphid-hungry larvae! I watched a...Hooray for those aphid-hungry larvae! I watched a little bird picking aphids off my rose bush this fall, cheering it on the whole way. And I found various stages of ladybug larvae on my roses as well, chomping away on the aphids. Good help in the garden is so hard to find, especially unpaid. Gotta love those little bugs.VWhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17539135776275337661noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-174929999542605112.post-30344280245703185972013-11-05T22:47:06.673+11:002013-11-05T22:47:06.673+11:00I did wonder if any birds ate them, but lately the...I did wonder if any birds ate them, but lately the big birds seem to have scared the little birds away. We're all lucky if we have a good range of biodiversity in our gardens.Sue Catminthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14242341696447975933noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-174929999542605112.post-34032111620201502342013-11-05T22:45:15.076+11:002013-11-05T22:45:15.076+11:00Hi Lyn, I actually did write a children's stor...Hi Lyn, I actually did write a children's story, and put it in the blog - here's the link: http://slowgardener.blogspot.com.au/2011/12/lost-in-garden.html <br />Re your mother spraying, I've noticed lots of people see a spider or insect and without thinking squash it. I get quite upset whenever I see it.<br />Sue Catminthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14242341696447975933noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-174929999542605112.post-80692208053304803912013-11-05T22:38:01.474+11:002013-11-05T22:38:01.474+11:00thank you, dearest soapy one.thank you, dearest soapy one.Sue Catminthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14242341696447975933noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-174929999542605112.post-14404634098502370522013-11-05T22:36:23.470+11:002013-11-05T22:36:23.470+11:00thank you so much, Steph.thank you so much, Steph.Sue Catminthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14242341696447975933noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-174929999542605112.post-87987881867072285002013-11-05T22:35:44.424+11:002013-11-05T22:35:44.424+11:00Direct action can be very satisfying.Direct action can be very satisfying.Sue Catminthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14242341696447975933noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-174929999542605112.post-65488153160247588092013-11-05T22:32:06.941+11:002013-11-05T22:32:06.941+11:00I agree - yay! Water blasting is temporary fix, la...I agree - yay! Water blasting is temporary fix, lady beetles get rid of them for good - till the next lot come along. The thing is, I'm almost pleased to see them now, because otherwise what will the other insects have to eat?Sue Catminthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14242341696447975933noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-174929999542605112.post-26428980836762864312013-11-05T22:28:16.073+11:002013-11-05T22:28:16.073+11:00I love ladybirds, haven't seen any in my garde...I love ladybirds, haven't seen any in my garden for years and years. Don't know why.Sue Catminthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14242341696447975933noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-174929999542605112.post-25673302842741537392013-11-05T22:27:25.979+11:002013-11-05T22:27:25.979+11:00thanks Donna, I was pleased with the spider photo,...thanks Donna, I was pleased with the spider photo, it took ages and lots of tries to capture the details of the spider because it was very small. Sue Catminthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14242341696447975933noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-174929999542605112.post-34940175522069955332013-11-05T22:21:11.004+11:002013-11-05T22:21:11.004+11:00Hi Denise, I suppose it is a slow gardening thing,...Hi Denise, I suppose it is a slow gardening thing, to try to work with nature. But of course being passive doesn't always work, and when you're feeling desperate there's always the direct action method, known as the 'squish'.Sue Catminthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14242341696447975933noreply@blogger.com