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| The preying mantis may be over-rated, but he is intimidating, even in a glass jar. |
Slugs were crawling into the remnants of beer in three pans, last night, so I added some Bud to each one. Later on, more slugs were crawling in, but the count was much lower.
The backyard beer drinker did not appear to eat the slug chili, when I looked this morning, so I will leave the brew for one more day. I hope the Passion Flower vines will now gain strength, leaf out, and grow up. The slug-chewed Butterfly Bush has now strengthened and started to grow new, more mature leaves. Slugs like the tenderest leaves and rasp the soft parts away, leaving a framework of the leaf.
When we first tried to put solar lights on the dead tree, one slip of the foot broke the string and it stopped working. Our helper, who snagged the wire by mistake, took it home and repaired it, so the lights were put to use again. But when the dead tree fell, all the solar lights remained intact and working. so the dead tree blinks into the night.
Parsley, Sage, Rosemary, and Thyme
I found parsley at Walmart so I brought home a pot, along with more Bee Balm and Fernleaf Dill. Mrs. Ichabod said, "Is the dill dead?" I said, "I bought it for the seed." The seeds had already formed, and dill is famous for seeding itself. I love dill with tomatoes, and dill is favored by beneficial insects.
Many species have a favorite plant. Butterflies seem especially picky. The Black Swallowtail loves parsley, reason enough to buy some. Monarch caterpillars need milkweed and Butterly Weed.
Triumphant Roses
Nothing looks more miserable than an insect riddled rose bloom. I had at least three insects chewing on them - earwigs, aphids, and some chewing beetle. The John Paul II and the Peace roses were hit hardest.
Except for increasing the beneficial insect plants, I have done nothing against the rose pests. Now the roses are free from insect damage, without spraying or picking pests off. That must work, because a delicate white spider was posing on the roses as I handed them to Mrs. Wright. I flicked it away and she laughed.
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| Not a wee little bee, but a hover fly, a friend to rosarians - aka a flower fly. |
