I took this picture over the weekend because I think leaf miner damage is just really neat looking. (Probably this is because I've never had any serious damage from them before.) This wasn't a very serious infestation, just a couple leaves on one plant.
Then yesterday I was out picking peas (mmmmmm!) and found a single leaf covered in aphids. The aphids have been odd this year (well, odd in my limited experience). Usually a massive population builds on my rose bushes, then hordes of predators swoop in and take them out. I think I upset the balance this year by cutting down that big rose bush. Right after that I found a bunch of aphids half destroying my beloved stargazer lilies (I sprayed them off violently with insecticide and a garden hose!) I have never seen them on those before. Now they are on my peas?
Probably all these pests on my peas are just telling me that I planted too late. The plants are stressed, which many books claim makes them more attractive to pests. I hope they won't nurture big insect populations that can then invade the rest of the garden.
I feel that we are in an all-out war with the bugs. Eventually they will win :(. Hmm... maybe my perspective is a bit clouded after recently watching Starship Troopers.
ReplyDelete@Nicholas: I don't see it that way at all. Bugs live outdoors. Even really scary, big, harry spiders. As long as they are not destroying (too much of) the food I am okay with that. If they are, I take them out!
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