A Vote of Thanks For A Modest Little Ally
Oct. 25th, 2010 06:34 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
endlessraritiesWe had a heavy frost last night, so I've just been moving the rest of the begonias. The timing's not that convenient, because it's the Writers' Group tonight, but Nature does things her way, and the begonias can't wait.
The vine weevil situation isn't half as bad as I'd feared. One corm had suffered moderate damage, a few more had a few holes here and there, but compared to last year, the situation's much better! Perhaps it's because the corms have been lifted earlier, as a result of the early frost. Or perhaps there has been a genuine reduction in numbers on account of last year's stewing after lifting policy. It certainly seems to wipe out 95% of the little blighters straight away.
But I'd also like to thank the infant centipede that I spotted forging bravely through the begonia compost yesterday evening. If we've had a drop in the vine weevil population, I'm sure it's largely due to the untiring efforts of my invertebrate allies, who munch, chomp and gobble their way through the hapless vine weevil grubs.
Thanks, guys! You're the reason why I won't do insecticides, and you do a sterling job!
I
The vine weevil situation isn't half as bad as I'd feared. One corm had suffered moderate damage, a few more had a few holes here and there, but compared to last year, the situation's much better! Perhaps it's because the corms have been lifted earlier, as a result of the early frost. Or perhaps there has been a genuine reduction in numbers on account of last year's stewing after lifting policy. It certainly seems to wipe out 95% of the little blighters straight away.
But I'd also like to thank the infant centipede that I spotted forging bravely through the begonia compost yesterday evening. If we've had a drop in the vine weevil population, I'm sure it's largely due to the untiring efforts of my invertebrate allies, who munch, chomp and gobble their way through the hapless vine weevil grubs.
Thanks, guys! You're the reason why I won't do insecticides, and you do a sterling job!
I
