Predatory Insects In Our Garden
...or title #2, "Now that's what I like to see!"
Here is a ladybug larva eating an aphid. Last year we ordered some ladybugs. I've seen several larvae so far, but I'm not sure how many are here as a result of last year's order, if any. I like the larvae better because they can't fly away ;) The adults always go totally in the wrong direction. It's like they're trying not to find any aphids to eat. The larvae don't seem quite as idiotic.
NOM NOM NOM
I was very grateful to see a hoverfly in the garden today! I didn't get any pictures of it. I doubt it would've stayed still and posed for one anyways. I believe these are eggs, since I saw it eyeing some aphids, then deposited two of these onto the pea leaf. Well, they're either eggs or poop. Let's hope they're eggs.
Eggs or poop?
On the other hand, we are not so pleased to have seen a number of these in the garden. Can anyone identify what type of beetle this is? The coloring doesn't seen to match any of the pictures we've seen. We haven't seen any typical beetle damage, so we don't know what these things are eating. Maybe they're good beetles??
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LOL! Ladybugs never seem to do the right thing in my garden, either. As for the eggs/poop, it looks like eggs to me. The beetle? No clue. It looks like a cross between a June bug and a Japanese Beetle (to me).
:-D
P.S. The pea plants look gorgeous.
I was going to guess a June Bug, too.
Thanks Ginny and Connie. The closest matching picture we could find was that of a June beetle. But the coloring is not exactly right.
Stuff like this seems to happen frequently in our garden. We see something (bug or plant), search all over the internet, but can't find any exactly similar looking pictures anywhere. Maybe we just have an extremely unique ecosystem in our backyard ;)
I vote for June bug or Japanese Beetle also.
I think it looks like a June Bug. Do they make bug books? You know, like bird books? That sounds totally weird to my own ears, but it would make sense for gardeners, so surely someone has made a book like that.
Ewokgirl,
We have a book written for organic gardeners...it details insects and diseases that commonly affect garden plants, how to recognize them, and how to deal with them. Although not extensive, it does list many beneficial and harmful insects, of which the June bug/beetle is included.
Okay, so maybe it's a June bug then, since everyone seems to think so ;)