Floridians are all familiar with the bugs that get plastered on the grills and windshields of our cars every May and September. Well, it’s September and they’re b-a-a-ack. Who knew they like flowers? If anyone knows whether or not they do damage, I’d like to know… but then again maybe not. They're certainly ugly buggers. For the uninitiated they fly around in connected pairs, hence their name, often in swarms on the highways.
Lovebugs are nuisances and can definitely damage your car’s paint job, but the next bug is the hateful one. AKA Stink Bug. AKA Large Footed Leaf Bug. Whatever. They are destructive to roses and other plants.
I’ve known these bugs were in the garden all summer, but I had only seen one and now the second.
Usually they're a darker brown color. Since I wasn’t wearing my garden gloves, I simply flicked him rather than put him to death. They stink when disturbed or smushed, and the smell does not wash right off. Sadly he still lives to destroy. After I flicked him, I wiped off the bud just in case it was a she laying eggs. Below is some of their handiwork on two roses that I found today.
I don’t know if the next damage is the work of a bug. I don’t know why one-third of ‘Souv de Francois Gaulain’ looks like it’s dying. I’ve never seen this happen except on canes that were broken. This cane is in tact and still green even though the leaves are brown and crispy. Tomorrow I’ll cut it off and hope it’s not spreading – whatever it is. Dang, I hope I didn’t get a drop of Round-Up on a leaf.
As I walked through the garden this evening I was sure I would do a post entitled “Derelict garden”. It would have been pretty ugly. Thankfully for all of my faithful readers there were love bugs. Alas, enough ugliness! I’ll leave you with some beauty from today's garden.
Row 1: ‘Duchesse d’Auerstadt and canna lily
Row 2: Dragon Wing Begonia
Row 3: ‘Madame Lombard’ and ‘Quietness’
Row 4: Coneflower and ‘Le Vesuve’
Row 5: ‘White Maman Cochet’ and ‘Gruss an Aachen’
Row 6: ‘Climbing Maman Cochet’ and ‘White Maman Cochet’
Row 7: ‘Duquesa’
‘Pink Perpetue’, a Large Flowered Climber
The next four photos are all ‘Reve d’Or’, a Noisette climber and a very tasty rose apparently
‘White Maman Cochet’
The next three are ‘Climbing Maman Cochet’
Lovebugs are nuisances and can definitely damage your car’s paint job, but the next bug is the hateful one. AKA Stink Bug. AKA Large Footed Leaf Bug. Whatever. They are destructive to roses and other plants.
I’ve known these bugs were in the garden all summer, but I had only seen one and now the second.
Usually they're a darker brown color. Since I wasn’t wearing my garden gloves, I simply flicked him rather than put him to death. They stink when disturbed or smushed, and the smell does not wash right off. Sadly he still lives to destroy. After I flicked him, I wiped off the bud just in case it was a she laying eggs. Below is some of their handiwork on two roses that I found today.
I don’t know if the next damage is the work of a bug. I don’t know why one-third of ‘Souv de Francois Gaulain’ looks like it’s dying. I’ve never seen this happen except on canes that were broken. This cane is in tact and still green even though the leaves are brown and crispy. Tomorrow I’ll cut it off and hope it’s not spreading – whatever it is. Dang, I hope I didn’t get a drop of Round-Up on a leaf.
As I walked through the garden this evening I was sure I would do a post entitled “Derelict garden”. It would have been pretty ugly. Thankfully for all of my faithful readers there were love bugs. Alas, enough ugliness! I’ll leave you with some beauty from today's garden.
Row 1: ‘Duchesse d’Auerstadt and canna lily
Row 2: Dragon Wing Begonia
Row 3: ‘Madame Lombard’ and ‘Quietness’
Row 4: Coneflower and ‘Le Vesuve’
Row 5: ‘White Maman Cochet’ and ‘Gruss an Aachen’
Row 6: ‘Climbing Maman Cochet’ and ‘White Maman Cochet’
Row 7: ‘Duquesa’
