Borage in the rain
I have a lot of aphids in the garden. At my last house I had a nice balance of aphids and predators. At this house not yet. I hope eventually to develop that equilibrium, but for now I have an aphid problem. I let them run rampant on my favas and nasturtiums in hopes of attracting more predators. Without food the ladybugs won't show up. So I give them a feast.
And they have come. I've only seen a few so far. But the one above has taken up residence on my zucchini. It has been there for days munching away. I hope it is a she and she lays eggs. The larvae eat a lot more than the adults do.
I've yet to see an adult lacewing in the garden, but their eggs are all over. Usually I find their eggs on the dill, so I have to be careful when I pick not to pick those plants. But I found this one when I was weeding. I've never seen their eggs on crab grass before. But to be fair there is a dill plant not far from it.
And do you see what I see (right side and a bit down)? YES! An eggplant bud. I wonder how long it will be before the eggplants start. A long time if we don't get out of this cold wet spell, but it ought to break in a couple of days and then we can get back into the 70s.
Glad to hear that the lady bugs are arriving!!! How exciting to have an eggplant bud!
ReplyDeleteI found this tasty eggplant recipe yesterday. You can easily substitute a tasty sausage for the shrimp if you wish! http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/stuffed-eggplant-with-shrimp-and-basil/detail.aspx
Rain rain go away. You have gotten such wonderful photos of these tiny things.
ReplyDeleteThe good guys will have many good number for patrol soon!
ReplyDeleteI love the way those Lacewing eggs are suspended on little threads. They look like beads.
ReplyDeleteTell me what you do with your Borage. I just planted some after reading that some in Italy make a ravioli filling with the borage leaves. what do you do with them? I think the blue flowers are lovely!
ReplyDeleteWonderful photos. The lacewings eggs are magical.
ReplyDeleteI never knew those were lacewing eggs. Good to know!
ReplyDeleteLove the shot of the borage in the rain-it's all drippy wet here too. And I'm tired of it now....
Love the borage. You can't do much with it: add the leaves to a fruit cup, candy the flower... but it is so magnificent (and prolific) you have to have some in your garden. The borage flower is the one adopted in heraldry signifying courage.
ReplyDeleteI didn't know they were lacewing eggs either. I keep finding good bugs in the house and not in the garden. I have found two baby praying mantis and one lacewing in the past 24 hours. I have more aphids in the garden then usual this year. Maybe it's the weather. I can't believe you have been having cold weather. It's been so darn hot and humid here that I can't stand it.
ReplyDeleteDaphne, I'm hoping for earthworms. Still haven't seen a single one. I haven't seen ladybugs here either but the bees, butterflies, and dragon flies are ABUNDANT! I take it lacewings are good. I've never seen their eggs. Now I know to watch out for them. I, too, have aphids but not so many. Glad you have visitors that will help by cleaning up after they eat. *wink*
ReplyDeleteI have a ton of aphids but have just let them be. I planted morning glories to attract the lady bugs but they haven't been growing. I might be blind but I can't seem to tell where the lacewing eggs are because of all the droplets of rain, I'm not sure what is eggs and what is rain.
ReplyDeleteYour nasturiums look great!!
ReplyDelete