Gardening Australia – May 2019

GARDENING AUSTRALIA MAY 2019 79

BACKYARD VISITORS

Len gardens in the Northern Rivers,

New South Wales

Y

ourrosesareplantedandthebudsaregrowingfat.Youcaneven

seethecolourthepetalswillbewhentheyopen...andthenyou

noticethem,therosegrower’sbane:aphids.Leaningincloser,you

seethereareotherinsects,too.Somelooklikegreenorbrown

maggots.There’sanotherthatlookslikeawalkingpieceoflint,andotherlittle

speckled,grub-likethings.Theymustallbeuptonogood.Where’sthespray?

Holdonaminute–helpisalreadyathand.Thosemaggotsarehoverflies

(above);youwillknowtheadults,whichresemblebees.(Youcantellthem

apart,ashoverflieshaveonlytwowingsandtinyantennae.)Eachhoverfly

maggotwilleatmorethanahundredaphidsbeforeitturnsintoanadult.

Andtheadults,inturn,willhelppollinateyourflowers.

Underamagnifyingglass,thewobblypieceof‘lint’revealsitselfasthe

dried,emptyhusksofaphidorscaleinsect,victimsoflacewinglarvae.Asthe

larvagrows,itfeedsvoraciouslyonaphidsandscale,placingtheirremainson

itsback.Eventually,itspinsasmallcocoon,thenhatchesintoagolden-green

insect with lacy wings. You’ll sometimes see the insects flying around lights

on warm evenings, and they eat aphids, too, but the trick is to recognise their

eggs, which are small and white, and appear on the tips of tiny, fine hairs.

You can cut off the twig they are on, and tie it with garden twine or masking

tape to a plant that needs aphid protection.

As for the speckled grubs, you’ve probably already guessed that they are

baby ladybirds. There are lots of species of ladybird, but the ones you find on

your roses are likely to be aphid eaters. Hold off on the spray and let these

creaturesdothecontroljobforyou.Remember:pestscanbecome resistant

tospraysbuttheynevergetusedtobeingeaten! GA

Martyn gardens mainly on Sydney’s Northern Beaches

Have you found something interesting in your

garden? Send us a photo and Martyn will ID

it. Email [email protected]

with ‘Creature’ in the subject line.

WHAT

ON

EARTH?

meet & eat

eggs and bear live young. For scientists,
this is a chance to observe an intermediate
stage in the evolutionary process from
egg-laying to live birth. Catch sight of a
three-toed skink and you are witnessing
evolution in action.
The many wonders of our backyard
wildlife never cease to amaze me, and
it is inspiring to know that thriving in my
messy garden is a little snake-like lizard
with tiny legs that may unlock some of
the secrets of evolution.

three-toed skink

Saiphos equalis

Aphids swarm on roses for a good

feed, but soon become the main

meal, says MARTYN ROBINSON