Friend Or Foe? Predators Of Eden

[Pterostychus]

@Obi 1
eggs of butterflies are usually deposited on plants the caterpillars eat ... so does it matter what hatches ?? beside voracious leafeaters

cant really see specifics on the caterpillar that leads me to identifying it ...

@FelipeBlu
see how it goes ... I think i see large eyes on the beetle which usually indicates a visual hunter ( like praying mantis and dartwings amongst many)

 

[Obi 1]

Maybe cabbage white butterfly , loads around the garden at the moment.

 

[Obi 1]

More today, just one leaf so its organic pruning guided by nature

 

[FelipeBlu]

Ewww!

 

[dynamo1]

Ewww!

Ewww me too

 

[Amy Gardner]

Indeed! Glad it’s only on one leaf at a time!

I dropped in to share pics of this little buddy. Well, I thought it was a little buddy - but it’s not! A perfect ‘friend or foe’ moment.

I’d always thought anything with 8 legs is a spider and therefore a friend in the garden - not necessarily so.

This “spider” is not a spider. It’s an arachnid for sure, but it’s a mite! A clover mite.
When I took the pics I was a little suspicious because while it looked and behaved like spider (albeit a very frantic one) it also seemed a bit mite-like. This is on a young plant - the mite is very tiny for a (not) spider but quite big for a mite.

Thankfully I’ve not seen it again, nor any evidence of problems!

Hello gorgeous.jpeg

• Amy Gardner
• Jun 7, 2020

Guardian of the tent.jpeg

• Amy Gardner
• Jun 7, 2020
• 1

See ya!.jpeg

• Amy Gardner
• Jun 7, 2020

I’ll hv to get the mods to edit the titles and comments for the pics! Not a friend nor a guardian and certainly not a Predator of Eden.

 

[Head1982]

A couple of ants attacking something.

 

[Head1982]

This guy was also hanging around.

 

[Amy Gardner]

Hi Head! It‘s not to late to say to 420 mag!

I am not sure about that little winged thing - a tiny wasp perhaps?

As for the ants - be wary of ants on your plants! Those ones may just be attacking a dead something, as ants do, but ants will also literally use your plants to ‘farm‘ aphids on!

 

[Head1982]

Hi Head! It‘s not to late to say to 420 mag!

I am not sure about that little winged thing - a tiny wasp perhaps?

As for the ants - be wary of ants on your plants! Tries Jones ma just be attacking a dead something, as ants do, but ants will also literally use your plants to ‘farm‘ aphids on!

Thanks for the welcome @Amy Gardner and the advice. I will keep an eye o the plant forsure. Only 2 spotted so far but I am sure the rest are not far behind.

 

[FelipeBlu]

Yeah, isolated ants are usually harmless to plants, and may in fact be beneficial, as they are predators to an extent, but a group of them typically means that they are farming aphids.

 

[Amy Gardner]

Yeah, isolated ants are usually harmless to plants, and may in fact be beneficial, as they are predators to an extent, but a group of them typically means that they are farming aphids.

this.

 

[Obi 1]

Anyone know who this is?

 

[Pterostychus]

a fly ...?

 

[Obi 1]

a fly ...?

I SPY WITH MY LITTLE EYE SOMETHING BEGINING WITH F!!!

 

[Pterostychus]

um it kinda makes me think its a dung fly ... sitting on your flower ....

 

[Obi 1]

Shes a beauty.

 

[Amy Gardner]

Nice spider! That fly probably won’t last long before it’s someone’s dinner

 

[Amy Gardner]

Hi folks - I’ve had this visitor from outside in the tent recently. I’m fairly certain it is a lacewing fly and am hoping @Pterostychus or someone else with the knowledge can either confirm or deny

It’s not a super clear picture, but it will do. It just makes the cut to be worthy of the thread

Lacewing?.jpeg

• Amy Gardner
• Jun 29, 2020

 

[Pterostychus]

Chironomidae family i suspect

lacewings have wings far bigger and longer then their body