I love bugs

[ottawagardener]

I really do, but every since I have gotten big time into gardening, they can make me nervous which is why my heart stopped when I noticed somthing white crawling around in the potting soil of some of my dwarf tomatoes.

Fungal gnat larvae - the plants looked fine and the things were moving fast and didn't have black heads so I google.

Symphylans - aaaaaaaahhhh! I know these are natural decomposer etc... so I spent the next 15 minutes wondering where the came from and why I had them and... NOPE

Not that.

I saw some of the jump, spring even... white springtails. Ah-ha!

And I let out a deep breath. Oh, just white springtails that must have been transported in on the soil around the garlic chives I overwintered and indeed I had overwatered the garlic chives so they were happily colonizing and springing around in there in great numbers.

So now the 'affected' pots are drying off and I'm remembering my credo 'I love bugs, I really do. They are an interesting and important part of the ecosystem.' (Actually I do love bugs - every trip anywhere is a safari)

Did I mention I love other critters too.... those two slugs that I tossed out of the coldframe may not agree with me but I let most of them live... besides they might have survived.

[emmajane]

I love bugs to, providing they are outside. It is when they come into the house I get nervous. Saw lots of ladybirds today when gardening for one of my customers, and so many huge bumble bees enjoying this early sunshine was are having.

[mamangenevieve]

I love bugs too, but in the house even "nice" bugs become nasty pests!

My parents live near a corn field and every winter they vacum up hundreds of lady bugs a day. Now that is to much of a good thing!

[ottawagardener]

Wow, maybe they could have a side line business selling ladybugs to aphid infested houses nearby!