Is anybody else having problems with these little bastards? Or have we just got a very fruity house?

If I remember right it's down to modern agriculture and the much lower number of wild flowers. Saw a programme on it earlier this year and how serious the problem is. I actually went out and bought a load of plants that bees like (so I was told) and my garden is alway full of bumble bees now. Appears to be a huge benefit as well as despite the shite summer I've never had a better looking garden

And varroa. Bastards.

Hated wasps flying round your ale in a beer garden, never seen any this year. Sparrows seem to have made a come back though.

Sparrows are noisy but ace. Loads down the road but don't get any in my garden. Loads of goldfinches though.

 

Not just me re the wasps though.

Had swallows nesting on the side of my house for many years, they fucked off when Bolton got relegated out of the Prem.

What happened to those tiny little red spiders that used to be all over pavements and bricks? Sure I haven't seen one for decades

When was the last time you were lying on your belly on the pavement sharpening a lollystick into a 'knife' though?

Once went to a brand new Indian restaurant in Blackburn area. It was formerly a pub. The shop fitters had just hacked the old beer lines at floor level and left them. The place was awash with tiny little flies.

When was the last time you were lying on your belly on the pavement sharpening a lollystick into a 'knife' though?

I'm on my belly on the pavement once or twice a month

 

Usually can't remember much of it mind

Good man.

Horseflies have been the bane of my summer this year,i must have been bitten a dozen times or more.

They want blood, nasty little bastards they are,

I fell into a wasps nest as a kid whilst having a scrap outside school and got stung 19 times.

That was an uncomfortable night.

Hated wasps flying round your ale in a beer garden

 

Aye. Plagued by them a few years ago in a beer garden in Middleton. Two of the bastards flew down inside the collar of my shirt. Got trapped in the shirt sleeve. Stung me 9 times on the inside of my bicep. Jesus that was painful

First time iv'e seen a caterpillar for yonks in my mams garden, a huge thing like an hell's angel storming through the grass, just hope it managed to turn in to a butterfly and lasted a few days.

Aye. Plagued by them a few years ago in a beer garden in Middleton. Two of the bastards flew down inside the collar of my shirt. Got trapped in the shirt sleeve. Stung me 9 times on the inside of my bicep. Jesus that was painful

Back of my neck was sore after a sting off them pests.

Edited September 3, 20178 yr by leigh white

Horseflies have been the bane of my summer this year,i must have been bitten a dozen times or more.

They want blood, nasty little bastards they are,

I fell into a wasps nest as a kid whilst having a scrap outside school and got stung 19 times.

That was an uncomfortable night.

 

 

I sat on one in Dobbins Field and the fuckers chased me all the way home. Can't remember the exact figure but it was way more than 19 - they were everywhere - in my ears, up my arse crack, just everywhere. My grandma spent ages plucking them out with tweezers. The pain is something you don't forget.

 

Been stung by them since and it seems like fuck all now. Must be immune or summat.

Edited September 4, 20178 yr by bolty58

Horseflies have been the bane of my summer this year,i must have been bitten a dozen times or more.

They want blood, nasty little bastards they are,

I fell into a wasps nest as a kid whilst having a scrap outside school and got stung 19 times.

That was an uncomfortable night.

They are nasty fuckers them. I can see the benefits of wasps, but what do these things bring to the party. Just bite animals and suck blood. They should be banned.

What happened to those tiny little red spiders that used to be all over pavements and bricks? Sure I haven't seen one for decades

Aye, I've not seen those in ages. Same with ladybirds.

Aye, I've not seen those in ages. Same with ladybirds.

 

I was in Cromer several years ago, for the weekend, and the place got invaded by Ladybirds - honestly there were millions and millions of the things, all over the place.It was a plague of biblical proportions. It really was amazing, you couldn't walk anywhere without hundreds of them being caught up in your clothes.

 

I've just looked it up to make sure my memory wasn't playing tricks: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1204864/Plague-ladybirds-puts-families-flight-Holidaymakers-overrun-tens-millions-bugs.html

Had swallows nesting on the side of my house for many years, they fucked off when Bolton got relegated out of the Prem.

Fickle twats...

 

Probably nesting on the side of some Athy City household now.

I was in Cromer several years ago, for the weekend, and the place got invaded by Ladybirds - honestly there were millions and millions of the things, all over the place.It was a plague of biblical proportions. It really was amazing, you couldn't walk anywhere without hundreds of them being caught up in your clothes.

 

I've just looked it up to make sure my memory wasn't playing tricks: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1204864/Plague-ladybirds-puts-families-flight-Holidaymakers-overrun-tens-millions-bugs.html

 

I bet that was a bit crunchy underfoot!

Red spider mites we called them (not mites at all iirc)

If them ladybirds were harlequins then they need twatting too.

I sat on one in Dobbins Field and the fuckers chased me all the way home. Can't remember the exact figure but it was way more than 19 - they were everywhere - in my ears, up my arse crack, just everywhere. My grandma spent ages plucking them out with tweezers. The pain is something you don't forget.

 

Been stung by them since and it seems like fuck all now. Must be immune or summat.

thems were bees not wasps. wasps don't leave the stinger behind, leaving them free to sting repeatedly. don't think that wasp stings are as bad as bees though!

We have some purple flowers that attract loads of bees but they're not out for long, what do I plant to support them for longer next year?  

 

Pleased to spot three different types of butterfly whilst doing the garden at weekend.

I bought foxgloves and penstemons. Loads of bees round them and the foxgloves spread loads of seeds as well for next year. Also bought some dahlias from Willinsons in the spring. Produced massive flowers and the bees seem to like them as well particularly the ones that look like big Pom poms

Edited September 4, 20178 yr by MancWanderer

Horseflies have been the bane of my summer this year,i must have been bitten a dozen times or more.

They want blood, nasty little bastards they are,

I fell into a wasps nest as a kid whilst having a scrap outside school and got stung 19 times.

That was an uncomfortable night.

 

Mate of mine was admitted to intensive care last year after a bite off one playing golf.  His arm swelled up like a reverse Popeye.

 

Sure I saw a program on bee strings being used to treat all kinds of things (possibly in China)  - they had to keep going for sting therapy

 

Idea was it boosted the immune system but did seem to show positive results.

 

Do fruit flies bite cos I keep finding tiny little red spots on my hands that are itchy as fook and there's plenty of the little swines about?