Bugs , slugs, and thugs...Oh my!

Where was it that someone mentioned they haven't seen lightning bugs yet???.....there are TONS down here. I've never seen so many.

tons here too... I called Randy out to come and see how many

What's up with that???

don't know... do they even serve a purpose other than reproducing?

I don't think so...just entertainment for the kids!

I have been told by a lily person in Denmark that the beetle will eat different things but lay eggs on lilies & fritilaries. So I don't grow the friltillaries. Probably will lose the few lilies which I have left & will not plant any more. I will enjoy the photos from non beetle areas.

tons here too

Same here. More than I ever remember. I like them.

Yes, many lightning bugs here...but the awful news is I squished a red lily beetle on a daylily....hope he was only resting there!

Check under the leaves of the lily for tiny red dots usually in a line. Those are eggs. Wipe them off and no nasty offspring to devour your lily.

I found some & wiped them.....every time I'm in the garden I see their damage.

I did not see lightening bugs till 2 nights ago.

Too rainy?

Probably. I would think we would have them 1st as for the swamp/wetlands.

I found the first Japanese beetles yesterday and today :( They like the weedy primrose that naturally grow in my yard. I try to leave some because it seems to keep them away from my garden a little.

I planted 3 white pelargonium near my roses...haven't seen any beetles yet.

I was just thinking it was about time those JBs showed up. Haven't seen any yet. They are drawn to a plant that others are already on, so a weed magnet it a good thing. They can be picked off as they come to join the group. Only had a few last year and hope the number doesn't increase his year.

Fog and mist in the morning makes good slug hunting weather. Took out about two dozen of the slimers. I got rid of them once and I will get them again. Very satisfying smushing them underfoot. Also about a dozen red lily beetles off a lily that is away from all the rest and I forget to check every day. No sign of Japanese Beetles yet.

where do you find the slugs - they have bee feasting on a couple hosta here.

At night you can see the slime trails. Similar to what Congress people leave.

:)

They seem to like my clems and delphs and threadleaf coreopsis. Also the lily blooms attracts them here. They do like the hosta but I have pretty much gotten all of them in that area. Check the stems and under leaves on damp cloudy mornings. These are the new generation of the big invasion last year. I have found large fat ones and tiny ones, grey and brown ones. Under any loose rocks and pots.

Have not had trouble with them....yet.

No biggie here either.

JB's showed up today.

I've seen them now too.

Here too.

None yet! Keeping fingers crossed.

None here yet. Bumped off more red devils though. ^_^

Has any one ever picked up a slug? I picked one off some container plants the othe rday and I couldn't get the slime off my fingers! eeewwww

I have many times. It will come off.

It was so weird, I had to rub dish soap on them and rinse them at least a dozen times! I think I did it before a couple years ago and swore , never again without gloves.... guess the mind forgets the little things sometimes ha ha

Ya it is really icky nasty slimy slime and hard to get off. I always use disposable gloves now.

I usually just flick them, try not to touch them, ick!

I let maggots eat the slime off.

Victor I really think your mind is as demented as mine.

Thanks!

Found a JB on Pegasus rose yesterday. It was squashed right away--so far the only one which I have seen.

Found about 7 earwigs at the bottom of one of my DL's yesterday.

Ewww earwigs, there seem to be a lot of them here this year. All the dampness maybe last year and warm early temps this year. Still no JBs yet. Fingers crossed they skip me this year. Something is munching my hibiscus again. Caught a little green caterpillar in the act yesterday, hope that was it.
Worried about a couple clems. Bottom leaves going yellow then brown spots then dead. Top growth still good but no new growth at the bottom yet. It was pretty wet here for about a week and a half and little sunshine to dry things out. We shall see if they recover. Clems usually pretty tough but I would like to see some new growth soon.