Mild Winter = Bugs Every Where! Look Closely!

With this past mild winter, our wet early spring and now the heat and humidity; bugs are reproducing rapidly.

So far, I've seen aphid clusters by the thousands:

 Mealy Bugs:

Viburnum Beetles:

 Hydrangea Leaftier Moth Larvae:

Rose Plume Moth Larvae:

A positive note: whenever there are years of plague like proportions, remember there are natural controls, like this Lady Bug larvae feeding on aphids below. Please look carefully. Beneficial insects are in full force - fighting the good fight. Instead of using chemical sprays, use high pressure water controls, pruning techniques and boosting the health of the plant. Save beneficial insects like Lady Bugs and their larvae, as well as parasitic wasps, lacewings and the birds. We NEED them! Chemicals are not the answer.

We may complain about our harsh winters here in Ontario, but I welcome them. The severe cold kills many overwintering insect adults and eggs. And that, we need!

Lady Bug (beetle, bird) Larvae

Everyone knows what our beloved Lady-Bugs (Birds, Beetles) look like - we immortalize them in art, stickers, in jewelry or toys. Yet many can't say they recognize their "teenage", "youthful" appearance before they become the well known adult beetles.

Larvae of Lady Bug

Yellow jelly bean like eggs hatch little larvae that are quite unlike their adult beetle stage. I've seen folks immediately want to kill and destroy them, thinking they are an unwanted insect. Quite contrary. The larvae are also fierce predatory insects. Female adult beetles lay their eggs near a "food" source for a reason. They feast on aphids, other insect eggs and other unwanted pests that plague our gardens.

Larvae turning into Pupae

Please take a good look at both the larvae stage and the pupae stage of the Lady-bugs we have here in the GTA. Please help to protect their nesting areas. They love laying eggs on foliage near ground level. We gardeners need all the help we can get!  If you see large numbers of aphids, you're sure to find some lady bugs hidden within their territory.

Full Pupae