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of pale, blousy flowers for the last 10 years.The rest of the garden has matured a bit since then, so we can afford a bit of bare wood before we decide what to do next. And, in removing the tangled stems, we uncovered a series of pale opalescent pearls

the apples in crumble, cobbler, jam and chutney. So I can chop and remove all the pre-chewed, frass-polluted and maggoty parts. Delicious.This is only the second year I have noticed significant numbers of bored apples. Perhaps this is because it is only

woodlouse in the middle of moulting. Unlike insects and spiders, which rid the whole outer skin at once, woodlice remove first the back half, then, a few days later, the front half. This is the smooth woodlouse, Oniscus asellus, just slipping off its

, is that the longer the maggot waits before turning into a beetle, the more likely it is to be disturbed by someone removing the timber, or to fall victim to predator, parasite or disease. The adult beetle may appear bold and imposing, but the larva, even a big one

. And yet it is precisely this shelter which is most in danger of being tidied away, cut down, mulched, shredded, composted or otherwise removed to make way for next year's grand displays.If you want wildlife to feel at home in your garden, let it make a