It’s always interesting seeing what you can find in a typical garden.
Most of all, for me, are the bugs.
Of course that’s the all-purpose term for the endless types of insects, caterpillars, spiders, and the like. And like, that word can describe my feeling towards them all.
Yes, I like bugs. A couple of weeks ago I began to notice these beautiful bright orange hairy caterpillars swarming the large oleander specimen in our front yard. It’s just fascinating how they attract a mate, with an inaudible acoustic call, heard for up to a mile. Then the cycle of life begins. What is equally incredible is the fact that while they are munching out on the leathery leaves in a serious way, they are not poisoned by one of the most poisonous plants on the planet.
And as has become my approach to garden-loving critters, I won’t spray them.
Having not used any insecticides since planting my garden, I don’t see any reason to start now. Nature is such an amazingly efficient system when left alone. Predators do the job of insecticides if only allowed to exist. Spraying the entire garden, we kill the good bugs as well as the “bad” ones. It’s like having an ocean without sharks. They are not “bad” fish but essential predators meant to control populations from exploding.
I’ve seen wasps taking care of the scale and aphids with steady and exacting effort. Thank you! Our thin black garden snakes eat hordes of undesirable bugs and leave behind intact sins shed under the protective shade of plumbagos. Dragonflies that come close to drink from the spray of my hose have reduced the mosquito population down so much that none of us has gotten bitten up.
If a plant has become weakened and ill, unless I can nurse it back to health with TLC, it will be consumed by creepy critters, after which its remains will be removed from its bed for a funeral inside a plastic bag. Sprays and soaps might have saved it but at what expense to the environment?
Hard as it seems to believe, nature has an extraordinary balance. It works marvelously all by itself. It’s only when people see insects as “bad” do we experience problems.
My habit is to take care of my plants as well as possible so that they can fight back from some polite nibbling and avoid it becoming an onslaught of epic proportions. Mainly weakened or damaged plants will be invaded by large numbers of insects, getting what they can like opportunistic looters. Strong plants can sustain themselves through a visit by hungry critters and survive.
As will our beautiful white oleander. The orange hairy caterpillars are inching away from its raggedy-looking canopy to find their perfect spots to transform into spectacular polka-dot moths, dipping and diving along shafts of sunlight and tendrils of cool breezes, amusing and entertaining all who choose to stop and admire.
Unfortunately this year we did not put in a garden mainly because what we plant and like to eat gets eaten first by the bugs and animals. I’m all for sharing but the work involved was not equal to the loss. I guess we had the same feelings you did about your flower garden at the house. It’s beautiful but so much work! I’m downsizing more and more as each year passes. Ya think age has anything to do with it? LOL Love you TT!
Oh sorry to hear you have trouble with invaders. I know there are some things to deter munching but probably only a fence would work and your property is too large for that. I don’t mind work but less of it would be nice! Good to see you!