creepy crawlies attack

Wow! Amazing to see so many of them. (Could lead to lots of "well ventilated" wooly-jumpers in due course, methinks!!) :D
 
Very odd, Looks like a shot out of a horror flick..
 
Actually when I first read the thread title I thought it was about a gang of traffic wardens on the prowl :D

And talking of creepy crawlies something is still munching the leaves on my tree plant. The only insect life I've seen nearby are black ants and spiders. Probably not the spiders so that leaves the ants. Thought I'd killed the little perishers off last year with a couple of those poison pods but no, they be back in the springtime with a vengenance :mad:

So, I'm off to the garden centre on Monday to get some seriously heavy artillery to exterminate the buggers.
 
muckshifter said:
Flops, change your plant, leave the ants. :p
Click to expand...

Aye, I know, gives me no pleasure :(

I don't even know for sure whether it is the ants but they seem to be the only suspects, I've examined the plant many times but never found a caterpillar or anything at work nibbling.

I'm sure the ants came with one of the plants a friend gave me a few years ago, probably the one they're either eating or foraging actually.

And I actually like ants, I've lived at places where I've even left sugar out for them, as long as they don't invade my home, I'm in harmony with them.

But I like my plant more and I like my plant to have smooth leaves, not raggedy tatty leaves.

So I'm afraid it's curtains for them insects.
 
Sir Flopps... I'm wondering if the ants are innocent and your plant is being visited by leaf cutter bees? There are some piccies HERE, of the kind of damage they cause to leaves, so maybe you could compare them with yours. :)
 
Taffycat said:
Sir Flopps... I'm wondering if the ants are innocent and your plant is being visited by leaf cutter bees? There are some piccies HERE, of the kind of damage they cause to leaves, so maybe you could compare them with yours. :)
Click to expand...

That is exactly it TC :eek:

Ok, ants get a reprieve, I did think it unlikely.

I have seen bees and what look like hornets visiting occasionally.

So what's the solution I wonder? Perhaps some fine mesh netting for a while?
 
floppybootstomp said:
That is exactly it TC :eek:

Ok, ants get a reprieve, I did think it unlikely.

I have seen bees and what look like hornets visiting occasionally.

So what's the solution I wonder? Perhaps some fine mesh netting for a while?
Click to expand...

I think you've got it in one.:thumb: According to a couple of websites, they advise covering susceptible plants with cheesecloth - or other loose netting - at times when the little critters are most active.

Are you going to give your resident ants a little sugary treat to celebrate their innocence? :D
 
oh well done TC, I knew ant can cut leaves, forgot about other insects. :thumb:

Are you going to give your resident ants a little sugary treat to celebrate their innocence?
Click to expand...
One lump or two ... :cheers:
 
The leaf cutter bees are amazing to watch, shame you gotta curtail them Mr Flopp's!
 
It seems to have stopped now, haven't seen any bees around.

Amazing they may be but they make my tree look silly :mad:

I left some sugar out for them ants, they didn't seem to touch it :confused:
 
Maybe they've stopped because they've chewed off sufficient bits of leaf for their nesting purposes(?)

Maybe it would be an interesting experiment to get a rose plant. Apparently, rose leaves are a favourite with the leaf-cutters. So although it might be a bit late for this season, it might be a distraction for them next year.

Just a thought. :)
 
Back
Top