Soldier Beetles, Ladybugs and Hummingbirds

hughe — Wed, 13 May 2009 14:46:40 +0000

You can tell that Gerry Duggan is a real enthusiast because the first six paragraphs of his article “Bird Friendly Gardening” describe the sighting of a flock of White-winged Crossbills which are rare in North Wilmington. Then he turns to the main subject and suggests plants that will attract hummingbirds. These include petunias, fusia, red monarda, cardinal flower and dahlias. He also suggests two vines, the trumpet honeysuckle and, if you have room, the orange trumpet vine. Butterflies are not forgotten either and he suggests growing milkweed to attract monarchs and swallowtails. Read more..

In “Gardening success stories” Tony Eulo describes three pleasant surprises that he has experienced in his yard this spring. The first concerned an invasion by some evil looking bugs which on closer inspection turned out to be soldier beetles which were devouring the aphids on his artichokes. Number two was his discovery of a better way of dealing with his annnual cover crop and the third involved sunflowers. Read more..

Continuing the good and bad insects saga Matthew Stevens, the horticulture extension agent for Halifax County Cooperative Extension, describes several that we should welcome to our gardens. These include ladybugs and praying mantis as well as spiders. He lists several more beneficial insects and, as these can be harder to recognize, he includes a link to the N.C. State entomology department website where further details can be obtained. Read more..

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Soldier Beetles, Ladybugs and Hummingbirds