Shakespeare would not have known them because they only arrived in Britain from Europe in the 19th century. In recent years, with global warming, they have increased their range and now breed in vast numbers in southern England. The cold winter did nothing to deter them (the adults overwinter in the soil) and I think I’m going to be picking those sluggy messes off the plants for a while yet.
“ . . . smell far worse than weeds”. This is from one of Shakespeare's most enigmatic sonnets No 94). I thought of it today when I was clearing red lily beetles off the plants. They are very persistent and voracious pests that will strip a lily plan in weeks if you’re not looking. The first one I saw, this spring, I mistook for a ladybird until my wife put me right. It is far too long to be a ladybird even before you notice it hasn’t got any spots. The pests certainly make lilies “smell far worse than weeds” because the larvae cover themselves with their own excrement to deter predators. The only real form of control is to pick them off so you have to grasp the nettle, or rather the sticky black mess.
Shakespeare would not have known them because they only arrived in Britain from Europe in the 19th century. In recent years, with global warming, they have increased their range and now breed in vast numbers in southern England. The cold winter did nothing to deter them (the adults overwinter in the soil) and I think I’m going to be picking those sluggy messes off the plants for a while yet. Comments are closed.
|
AuthorI'm a writer whose interests include the biological revolution happening now, the relationship between art and science, jazz, and the state of the planet Archives
March 2016
Categories
All
|