Category: pests

The wondrous creatures that share our gardens part 2: feathers and fur

Posted on by andy.winfield

By Alida Robey

This week’s post continues to separate the facts from the fallacies concerning the creatures that cross our paths while we garden. In my last post I looked at invertebrates and this week, I look at creatures with feathers and fur. (more…)

The wondrous creatures that share our gardens part I: The creepy crawlies

Posted on by andy.winfield

By Alida Robey

 

As I peacefully garden, random thoughts about the wildlife I encounter waft through my head. How far does a hedgehog travel in a night? If you throw a snail over the fence, is it likely to find its way back into the garden? How long do worms live?  Rather than continue repeating this cycle of speculation,  I decided to get to the bottom of these little mysteries. (more…)

Forests may be more vulnerable to pests and disease in the future

Posted on by andy.winfield
As I sit in my home office watching the autumn rains and winds strip the last remaining colourful leaves off the trees outside, I find myself in awe of the tree. There’s a primary school across the street from my house and there are several huge beautiful chestnuts in its grounds where I watched the children shelter from the sun on hot days. There’s also the spindliest little apple tree that one could imagine, which despite its size produced at least a dozen enormous apples this year! (more…)

Biological battles in the glasshouses

Posted on by andy.winfield

By Helen Roberts and Nicola Temple

 
In the calm and serenity of the glasshouses, among the flowering lotus and breathtaking orchids, there is a lethal battle going on – biological warfare between predator and prey. About two months ago, Penny started to use biological control in the glasshouses as a chemical-free means of managing pests like whitefly and aphids. Parasitic wasps and beetles are released in areas of infestation and left to do what comes naturally to them…prey upon pests. (more…)