Know What This Is?
I spotted this on a sunflower leaf about 8PM last night, and didn’t realize what I was looking at. I believe this is the back end.
John Dunstan’s “Total Metamorphosis” video makes it quite clear that this is one stage of a ladybug transformation. This little creature was racing along beside the one above, which wasn’t moving.
If I’d realized they were beneficials, I would have not deposited the leaf with the emerging ladybug in the recycling bin! 🙁 Thanks for reading! – Kaye
Category: Beneficials, Critters
I’m learning something new everyday!
So am I, and I’m so pleased you are along for the journey! And I on yours in Turkey!
Poor ladybug to be!
I know, every single lady bug is important and needed. Now I know. It was so fierce looking I thought it might be the feared potato beetle or something. Their transformation is incredible.
I might have disposed of it also…thanks for sharing!
The larvae stage, when they are a bug, you just are sure they are foe, but they are friend and can eat up to 1000 aphids in a day!
I planted Brandywine also and they are doing well, but the previous two years I planted German Queen and I think the flavor was better. Also, my cucumbers are bitter. Do you know what can be done? Also the zucchini leaves have white mildew and when the zucchinis are about two inches long they shrivel and die. Who knows why. I enjoy reading Late Bloomer. Thanks.
Angela
Andrea, check this out: http://us1.campaign-archive1.com/?u=b1edc3714dafb26ddd235db42&id=942698c6c9&e=0a9899199c
I started a thread, uploaded a photo on Bonnie’s FB page: https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10150990959749576&set=o.115865448462857&type=1&comment_id=6773714
Don’t eat the cukes if they are bitter. Can be watering or weather inconsistencies, and the advice if you get the watering consistent (ground needs to stay moist, don’t get leaves wet) is to yank them out. Powdery mildew and white spotty mold on zucchini is here to stay I think with our near daily coastal fog. If you don’t have that, and they get plenty of sun and you haven’t overcrowded them, try a 10% spray of milk/water 3 times a day. Some of mine rot at a couple inches and die. But, I’ve had many good ones. If all yours are shriveling, submit this question to Bonnie on her page, and she will reply. Where are you located, what’s your climate?
Sorry, Angela, I was communicating with an Andrea before I went to bed last night, and I guess it stuck in my mind. 🙂
How cool to watch a molting like that Kaye!
*anna
Yeah, and I tried to find a place to leave a comment on his Vimeo, but couldn’t. I wanted him to know I shared it. If you’d never seen this, how could you possibly guess those various states were the demure, sweet ladybug?