Thought it would be worth a mention... catepillars !

[rufc15lizzie]

yes Sanatic, i picked a caterpillar out the top of one of my Echiums last weekend.

They are not wasting no time rufc15lizzie are they, the ones i removed were really fat was yours?

Yes it was quite big and fat, I was surprised.

[sanatic1234]

Funny you should mention a bee I had one in mine a round early December time, I couldn't believe it really but it seems to have gone now. I suppose they have to keep warm some how.

I was checking croziers, it buried its self quite deep in to the crown.

Bees hibernate in lots of plants for winter and will burrow underground next to crowns of plants.
They do no harm, leave em be

I found some in the soil last year in a clients garden, it did not seem happy at all that i woke it up, and it was moving extremely slow for the first 5 minutes before flying off.

[sanatic1234]

Funny you should mention a bee I had one in mine a round early December time, I couldn't believe it really but it seems to have gone now. I suppose they have to keep warm some how.

I was checking croziers, it buried its self quite deep in to the crown.

Mine was more on the surface of the crown but under the fur, it was the buzzing sound that gave it away.

[sanatic1234]

yes Sanatic, i picked a caterpillar out the top of one of my Echiums last weekend.

They are not wasting no time rufc15lizzie are they, the ones i removed were really fat was yours?

Yes it was quite big and fat, I was surprised.

All the plants they must be getting through i did remove a baby one it was tiny that was clinched on to the fleece.

[fern Rob]

Funny you should mention a bee I had one in mine a round early December time, I couldn't believe it really but it seems to have gone now. I suppose they have to keep warm some how.

I was checking croziers, it buried its self quite deep in to the crown.

Mine was more on the surface of the crown but under the fur, it was the buzzing sound that gave it away.

I only realised when it buzzed, because i was checking the croziers, I quickly removed my hand

[Tom2006]

Noticed something has been munching my echium!

Don't worry about anything else certainly no worries about earwigs attacking croziers.

[otorongo]

Bees hibernate in lots of plants for winter and will burrow underground next to crowns of plants.
They do no harm, leave em be

Leave them bee

The slugs have been a constant occurrence here, they're not coming out because they never went away to begin with.

Sometimes when I have lunch they climb the tray and find their way to the food on the plate. I have to be careful not to let them do that.

Now the bees... they show up whenever the sun does. Same with the [regular] flies. They like to land on my food.

And worms in the raspberries, it's interesting eating at night as you can't see them and when you realize it tasted funny it's too late.

[flounder]

Yeah, still getting slug and snail activity, but more damage to winter bedding with the rain and wind

[derrick]

I also have the Kata pillars .she's been munching on my Echiums and Brugmansia in the conservatory. .I have green fly on my Ensetes again .No red spider mites yet .

[RozDevon]

Crikey, Otorongo, you must take ages eating your lunch or else your slugs are jet propelled!!!

[PaulPlants]

My Echium have not needed protection yet this winter, but I have removed some very large green caterpillars from them. The caterpillars are coming out at night and have eaten a lot!

[davidjonesUK]

I have clusters of lady birds in my dads shed I will take a pic some point tomorrow also had them last year too it is very interesting and was only 3 weeks ago I saw honey bees all around my mahonia yellow flowers while the warm sun was out it was around 12C that day

[PaulPlants]

Wow DavidJones! Mahonia out already... I think you may be well ahead of me!

[davidjonesUK]

Funny you should mention a bee I had one in mine a round early December time, I couldn't believe it really but it seems to have gone now. I suppose they have to keep warm some how.

I was checking croziers, it buried its self quite deep in to the crown.

Bees hibernate in lots of plants for winter and will burrow underground next to crowns of plants.
They do no harm, leave em be

they will be this years queen bumble bees waiting for warm weather to start the nest cycle again

[davidjonesUK]

Wow DavidJones! Mahonia out already... I think you may be well ahead of me!

yeah paul there now producing green seeds that turn purple I will take a pic of that too even my fatsia are still got there flower stalk but I cut them off when tiding the garden save me doing it again