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queen buff-tailed bumblebee, was examining the compost heap; I guess she was searching out a suitable hibernation site. Every now and then something else would buzz past: rosemary leaf beetles, green shieldbugs and ladybirds were all very active

down into. We've only been here a couple of hours when someone spots a huge black beetle crawling up the wall--the bloody nose beetle Timarcha tenebricosa, so called for the reflex bleeding of bitter red fluid from it's mouth if picked up. A great

adult in a matchbox with a lily beetle to show my children how beautiful insects could be and was rewarded by a succession of beetles brought to me for identification. Ladybirds were the supreme favourite. ah I wondered if it was bad for plants, always

Peonygreen,Perhaps you have Rosemary Beetle - there is an article on this site in the section "Problem solving, shrubs & climbers".I'm afraid the only solution offered is to pick off the adult beetles and larvae by hand and destroy. Ooh, that's a good idea, I

they have started to grow, holly seems to be spread greatly by birds, hellebores often are stronger than ones I deliberately plant, and salads benefit greatly from lamb's lettuce which seems impossible to control. I found what could be a rosemary beetle

just been out to water all my veg etc in greenhouse to discover that the lavender hedge that i have grown from cuttings is covered in rosemary beetle!!! Lavender was the only plant that the pesky rabbits dont chomp. Boo hoo. Cant spray as dont want

be rosemary beetle? If there are enough of them they can kill the plants (they're very beautiful though).Sokanista - Thank you, I know you're right. I just want the garden to grow, it still looks so new!Happymarion - Thank you. The garden does make me very

Downie, the blackbids leave the fruit on the tree until the ground freezes, this is obviously their emergency reserve, I grow a lot of different lavenders from seed, other bird/insect magnets are oregano, rosemary and ecchium blue bedder,all have a

pretty flowers... Oh, and I love lilies but , since the lily beetle reached Bristol ,I now grow them in the conservatory  where they have not been able to suss them out. The lily beetle must be the filthiest insect alive. From our own guide to dealing

humming-birds. And we've no idea of what most of them are. Like Rosemary we have a large pond - ours is even larger - I reckon it's around 25 feet by 40 so have an IMMENSE job to take on. But I too would like advice on when is best time of year to give