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, and they must be a pretty curious bunch. Perhaps not as curious as entomologists though. I don't want to upset people, but at least six exotic relatives of vine weevils have turned up in Britain in the last 10 years, several in Chelsea Harbour, brought in from

. The adults have six legs and a pair of antennae, moving in the open at night, chewing the edges of leaves. This isn't itself a problem, but the fact that each adult is a female, laying almost 1,000 eggs in summer, is alarming.Holes and notches chewed out

for up to six months.I spoke to David Morris from Bayer, which makes Provado Vine Weevil Killer 2. He said there was no evidence to suggest that thiacloprid killed bees. But I choose not to use pesticides in my small garden, so have opted for alternatives

A few months ago I wrote about vine weevil, which I had inadvertently brought into my garden in a pot of hellebores. I was worried they'd kill my orange tree (which pretty much always has something wrong with it) and my 'nursery' of seedlings. I

strongly rooted plants that will survive the winterFeed crops in growing bags and pots every weekWatch out for vine weevil beetles and larvae, and treat compost with a suitable product such as Provado Vine Weevil Killer 2

Sow seeds of cucumbers, tomatoes, aubergines and peppers to raise summer cropsWater compost with a suitable pesticide where vine weevils have been discoveredSow summer bedding plants, such as petunias, geranium, verbena and busy LizzieTake cuttings

away in small pots of compostBe vigilant for signs of lily beetle, vine weevil, Solomon's seal sawfly and other problem pests

Water tomatoes regularly to prevent fruit splitting and blossom end rot Feed tomato crops with a high-potash tomato fertiliser every weekBe on the lookout for aphids, vine weevils and other pestsVentilate daily and add extra shading if temperatures

Take cuttings from tender perennials and bedding plants, such as verbenaSow a few pots of hardy annuals to provide early spring blooms Shade delicate plants to avoid sun scorch on hot daysDeal with vine weevil by watering pots with a solution

-winged fly, Acinia corniculata, given Red Data Book 1 status - endangered - because it is known from so few places. I found one on the knapweeds (hardheads) in which the larvae live. The second was a weevil I knocked out of a bush nearby. It was a bit like a