Bugs everywhere!

[Beth_B]

Luckily none of them harmful or nasty, but an unusually warm winter followed by a warm, dry spring has given rise to bugs I haven't seen since owning this place. Today I have noted the following:

Spittle bugs nestled in several of my perennials. Haven't seen those in years! When I was a kid in the UK we called it "cuckoo spit." Why, I have no idea.

An explosion of box elder bug nymphs. My house is fairly shaded; box elders prefer sun, but a few days ago I noticed little red bugs *everywhere.* All over my plants, my house. Luckily not inside. I had to look them up to learn they were baby box elders (the adults look quite different.) Again, pretty much harmless.

So this afternoon I used up a half-bag of bark mulch that I opened a few weeks ago. As I was scooping it out, I realised it had been invaded with ants, who were frantically running everywhere (including up my arms ) carrying eggs. And ants are on my back deck too. I've never had an ant issue before here.

And a beautiful iridescent metallic green wasp. Which I hope is one of the fly and mosquito eating types. I haven't googled it yet.

So it looks like it is shaping up to be a buggy summer! I don't mind bugs (yes I do know I'm not using the word in its technically correct sense) as long as they a: stay outside, b: do not harm my plants, and c: are not aggressive stinging insects, like wasps and yellowjackets.

Oh and d: mosquitoes! Hate those. So far it's been dry enough (for Michigan) for the skeeter population to be fairly sparse so far. The last two summers here were very rainy and the mosquitoes were horrible.

 

[Chuck]

Luckily none of them harmful or nasty, but an unusually warm winter followed by a warm, dry spring has given rise to bugs I haven't seen since owning this place. Today I have noted the following:

Spittle bugs nestled in several of my perennials. Haven't seen those in years! When I was a kid in the UK we called it "cuckoo spit." Why, I have no idea.

An explosion of box elder bug nymphs. My house is fairly shaded; box elders prefer sun, but a few days ago I noticed little red bugs *everywhere.* All over my plants, my house. Luckily not inside. I had to look them up to learn they were baby box elders (the adults look quite different.) Again, pretty much harmless.

So this afternoon I used up a half-bag of bark mulch that I opened a few weeks ago. As I was scooping it out, I realised it had been invaded with ants, who were frantically running everywhere (including up my arms ) carrying eggs. And ants are on my back deck too. I've never had an ant issue before here.

And a beautiful iridescent metallic green wasp. Which I hope is one of the fly and mosquito eating types. I haven't googled it yet.

So it looks like it is shaping up to be a buggy summer! I don't mind bugs (yes I do know I'm not using the word in its technically correct sense) as long as they a: stay outside, b: do not harm my plants, and c: are not aggressive stinging insects, like wasps and yellowjackets.

Oh and d: mosquitoes! Hate those. So far it's been dry enough (for Michigan) for the skeeter population to be fairly sparse so far. The last two summers here were very rainy and the mosquitoes were horrible.

Me too. A really cool spring and lots of rain. I've got bugs I have never seen before. Some may be good, who knows. All I can do is keep a close watch on who does what. If worse comes to worse I always have spinosad

 

[Beth_B]

Chuck you've mentioned Spinosad often enough...it will be my next go-to for unwanted insects. Although mostly I'm live and let live type so resort to pesticides extremely rarely (except for the dogs and cats; they get the big gun vet-prescribed parasite control!)

Where do you get this? Online? Tractor Supply?

 

[Durgan]

This year I am almost bug free. The white cabbage moth only a few and they don't stay around. A few Colorado potato beetles, which I have almost picked clean. A few cucumber striped beetles but only a few. Even only a few flea beetles. Most amazing year in about ten for having so few pests. TOUCH WOOD.

 

[Chuck]

Chuck you've mentioned Spinosad often enough...it will be my next go-to for unwanted insects. Although mostly I'm live and let live type so resort to pesticides extremely rarely (except for the dogs and cats; they get the big gun vet-prescribed parasite control!)

Where do you get this? Online? Tractor Supply?

Spinosad is fairly new, only about 10 years or so. It is made with a soil bacteria and inert ingredients. Totally organic and harmless. It is mainly an intestinal poison. When a bug or caterpillar ingests it it stops feeding immediately and is dead within 4-8 hours. It also acts as a remedial and/or contact poison and infects the pest with an external bacterial growth/injury which leads to death. There is all kinds of research that has been done. Just google it. Many universities and even chemical companies are still studying it and have found it to be more effective than even harsh chemicals. Look it up. I am a live and let live guy too and I don't like to spend money on something that does not work or is not needed. Many of the bugs I find in my garden are either harmless or beneficial and the harmful ones get the benefit of doubt as to whether the harm they do is worth the time and expense of spraying. Most times the damage they do is minor but when someone is doing great harm I have no problem pulling out spinosad and killing everyone in sight as spinosad is non-selective

 

[marlingardener]

Beth, a buggy summer is not a happy summer for gardeners! I don't mind bugs (yes I do know I'm not using the word in its technically correct sense) as long as they a: stay outside, b: do not harm my plants, and c: are not aggressive stinging insects, like wasps and yellowjackets. My sentiments exactly!
As I was mowing yesterday I saw this on the edge of a pot--about 1 1/4" long and ugly! My husband took a picture or two, and then looked it up. It's a Mydas Fly, and I'm hoping it doesn't invite its cousins to our yard!

 

[Chuck]

Beth, a buggy summer is not a happy summer for gardeners! I don't mind bugs (yes I do know I'm not using the word in its technically correct sense) as long as they a: stay outside, b: do not harm my plants, and c: are not aggressive stinging insects, like wasps and yellowjackets. My sentiments exactly!
As I was mowing yesterday I saw this on the edge of a pot--about 1 1/4" long and ugly! My husband took a picture or two, and then looked it up. It's a Mydas Fly, and I'm hoping it doesn't invite its cousins to our yard!
View attachment 13601

I saw a couple of these things last week. First time ever. They didn't stay around long enough to get a picture. Say's in Wikipedia that they eat grubs. Whould'a thunk it?

 

[JBtheExplorer]

Beth, a buggy summer is not a happy summer for gardeners!

I disagree!

 

[claudine]

Some bugs can be really cute. I love ladybugs and May bugs The more of them, the better
But I absolutely hate mosquitoes. They're the most annoying creatures in the whole world. Fortunately, there aren't too many of them this year.

 

[Chuck]

I do not like buggy summers, at all. It seems as though the regiments of harmful bugs always out number the platoons of good bugs in the war of the garden and I always have to take the side of my garden. It is a war and in a war a lot of good guys have to bite the dust for the greater good, and the greater good is me