Rose friendly critters...

I thought I'd start a sticky thread for people to help them recognise rose friendly insects that you want to have lots of in the garden. I'd add to the list as I photograph them. Feel free to add your own too.

Here are my first entries:

1) Hoverflies:

You will find a few different species of hoverflies. They are useful in the garden because their larvae are voracious aphid predators. A single hoverfly larvae can eat as many as 100 aphid in just a week.


Larvae in action.


2) Bull Ants (down here we call them Inchmen):

They pack a punch but if you can learn to live with them then they are garden work horses. They will consume large numbers of quite large insects and despite having been on the receiving end of their sting I have learnt to look before putting my knee down anywhere. Note: those jaws look formidable but that's not the bit that hurts. They are actually more closely related to wasps than anything and so have a sting on their abdomen that injects an acid that causes us so much pain. They can cause anaphylactic shock in some people so if you are allegic to wasps/bees/etc then you may want to take extra care when you come walk around my garden


3) Aphidius species...

These little guys are barely 2mm long. You won't see them unless you go looking for them.


I love these guys to bits.

4) Scorpions

You may not want these guys around... but I love them! We have an agreement... I leave them alone and they leave me alone. Actually, these little Australian scorpions have a sting that is not as bad as the Inchman shown above. These guys live in the leaf-litter and do a great job of keeping down insects that live in the mulch, like beetle larvae. I bought an ultraviolet torch when we first moved in because a scorpion's exoskeleton actually glows fluorescent green/yellow in UV light. A wander around at night in the garden is a bizarre experience with a UV torch

WoW i think we've only got the hoverfly in brisbane...as a rose friendly insect...lady beetles are friendly on roses yes?

oh and great photo's Simon

This is one of our "rose friendly critters". He"benny" was just passing through to a new pasture so I do not have to mow.

Roseman, I have a pony that keeps the roses on the fence trimmed.

My wife recons I am not much of a horse trainer for I can't even train a pony to give up a simple thing like a rose diet.

Are there any larger rose preditors ( Critters ) than this one.

Great photos (again) Simon.
Yikes! How big are the scorpions?
David, Benny is cute - wouldn't want him near my little roses, though!

It's ok Val, he only eats at his head height or higher

roseman wrote:It's ok Val, he only eats at his head height or higher

OK - most of mine would be safe this year!!!

If you see these don't squash them! The little wasps shown above make them! These are aphid mummies.

Here's a Mantis I found on Saturday - and the egg container (sac?) she left behind!



And I've found this moth this morning. Not exactly sure what it is. But it's furry. And really cute.

We have dozens of Grass/Blue Wrens in the roses, specially the potted ones. Don't know what bugs they are eating. All looks well so presume its the bad bugs being eaten.

I have been on this property for 30 odd years and during that time Lady Birds have congregated on Deadly Nightshade (Belladonna) in preference to roses. It's not unusual to see 20 or more on Belladonna which is deadly to stock and humans. There's something in the leaves for there are no aphids present on Belladonna for the Lady Birds to eat.
Unusual????

A really food idea this post, Simon.
Great photos everyone. I have seen those sacs before, Autumn Damask, but I didn't know they belong Praying Matis. You rarely ever see one.
Your rose photo David was very pretty.