GARDENING AUSTRALIA MAY 2019 81
Patricia Verden from
Earlwood, NSW, has
won a six-month
subscription for her
letter about how
to build a Homeless
Bee Hotel (see page
82 ), using recycled
materials. What a
honey of an idea!Gotsomethingtosay?Shareyourthoughts, ask a
question,slipusatipandshowusyourbest shots.
Thepickofthecropeachmonthwinsasix-month
subscriptiontoABCGardeningAustraliamagazine
(currentsubscriptionswillbeextended).[email protected](letters)
[email protected](questions)YourSay,GardeningAustralia,nextmedia,
LockedBag5555,StLeonardsNSW 1590FACEBOOK
facebook.com/ABCGardeningAustraliamagazineINSTAGRAM
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#gardeningaustraliamagwrite and win!
Shooting
through
On my ‘Pierre
de Ronsard’ rose
bush, the stem
of a new shoot
is coming up
through the
middle of one
of the owers.
I’ve never seen
anything like
it before.
Anne Towner,
Bateau Bay, NSWMARTYNROBINSONSAYSYourinsectisanadultfemale
yellow-collaredblueflowerwasp(Scoliaverticalis). It is the less
common of two species that are normally seen in suburban gardens,
although that depends on where you live. This and the other species,
the ‘plain’ blue or sometimes black fl ower wasp (S. soror), are both
useful insects. Once impregnated, the females tunnel into the ground
and lay their eggs on curl grubs (beetle larvae of various species),
which often cause damage to plant roots. These wasps sometimes
appear in large numbers, but you are in no danger, as they are not
aggressive and you would have to grab hold of one to be stung.
Enjoy your shiny and useful little garden guest!
Could you please
help me identify
this creature? It
is approximately
2.5cm in length and was
recently caught up in
the bird netting over our
capsicum patch. With
the help of my husband’s
diligent manoeuvring,
it eventually ew o to
live another day.
Kath Skinner, Dubbo, NSW