Bloody ladybirds.

Don't kill the indigenous ladybirds!
Set them free & your garden will thank you.
Don't use nasty chemicals on the Harlquins just squash 'em.

I think I read somewhere that squashing them releases a staining liquid. The ex-girlfriend wouldn't be impressed.

Tony

Why are you trying to impress your ex?
Put them on a piece of old newspaper first.

quote:

Originally posted by 555:
Why are you trying to impress your ex?
Put them on a piece of old newspaper first.

Well I married her and have to keep up the false standards I achieved in courtship!

Tony

Funny I always heard them in the US as Ladybugs. Tho took an insect class and the teacher admonished me because it was the wrong term. Oh well. There are beneficial insects tho and they do eat aphids. Their larvae are actually the voracious ones you want.

I used to be a gardener and we have the brown snails brought over from Europe, UGH. In hand grooming plants I'd find them and whack them on the cement or walls. Forget about the poison bait they sell. I horrified a group of classmates with this description when I was in grad school. But I was reducing the use of pesticides.

quote:

... I married her ...

I must point out she's not your ex'. Unless you subsequently divorced her.

quote:

Originally posted by 555:
I must point out she's not your ex'. Unless you subsequently divorced her.

Actually Tony did say "ex-girlfriend "

You shortened it to "ex"

Abbreviations can be deceptive!

Cheers

John

There seems to be more ladybirds around here than I've ever seen before. Swarms of them everywhere - except for my place which is where I actually need them. I grow chillies and last year's plants were ruined at the end of the season by aphids. I've just replanted my latest batch of seedlings and have noticed the horrible little things are back. I use a spray but it has about as much effect as water.

Bring on the ladybirds.

Sean

quote:

deceptive

From the British Pedants Association rule book Volume V, chapter 37, paragraph 24, subsection 15 ....

It is incorrect to refer to your ex-girlfriend as such, if you have married her.

quote:

Originally posted by 555:

It is incorrect to refer to your ex-girlfriend as such, if you have married her.

So it would be better to refer to her as "My 1st wife." ? (Obviously change 1st to 2nd, 3rd or Nth as appropriate)

That's how I refer to mine, but I only did this once she started referring to me as my 1st husband.
This began soon after I purchased my HiFi system.

She could be referred to as "widow in waiting" or "widow elect"

Terry Wogan version is the current Mrs ....

We had an invasion of them last year in our neck of the woods (California/SF Bay area) and this year nothing as of yet. Very similar, they were everywhere and in everything. I did not mind it so much but I noticed that if one got on my skin and I did not notice, I ended up getting a sharp little sting, which MADE me take notice. I had no idea these seemingly inocuous little critters could actually sting/bite. Eventually they just went away. I just hope i dont find any dead ones in my stereo gear mucking up the works...