~ BUGS ~ Interesting information; lots of facts I didn't know.....!!

[Hattie the Hen]

I recently came across this article entitled:

" Look Up! The Billion-Bug Highway You Can't See ." by Robert Krulwich

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=128389587

I have to say I had not even thought about our enemies habits & lives other than the aspects of them as they directly affected me in my garden.


Recently I had a massive attack on my cardoon clump. I tried all my usual organic recipes but ended up by cutting off all the tops as they were so sticky & unsightly. It won't hurt the plants as they will send up more shoots.....the decorative chokes will just happen later in the summer. Interestingly I have no other blackfly in the garden (I often get them on my broad beans & in the elder trees).



:rose Hattie :rose

 

[hoodat]

As you may have gathered from some of my posts I'm almost as fascinated by the tiny critters in my garden as I am by the plants.
Flying insects riding the jet stream is surprising enough but I was amazed to find out about the spiders up there. How does a spider get thousands of feet up into the sky? It turns out that when conditions are right they climb to the top of a plant and spin a thin strand of silk. They then ride an updraft and get carried up into the jet stream where they can travel across the world. Paragliding spiders? Where and how do you suppose they ever learned that trick?
Was there, once upon a time a tiny spider adventurer that returned to earth and said,"Hey guys, look what I can do?"

 

[Hattie the Hen]

Hey hoodat! Maybe it was as alien spider adventuror......???

I was so surprised by the article etc. It shook me up & gave me a lot more to think about.....I hope I can keep learning for the rest of my life.....it is what keeps me going. I hope it continues & I don't loose my ability to remember.......!!!


Hattie