The benefits of having rotten wood in the garden.

[Adam W.]

Sinodendron cylindricum This little chap is an endangered species in this part of Northern Europe and I'm very happy to have seen it in the garden at the weekend. It lives in rotten wood, which I have a great deal of in the garden.

Hopefully one day I'll get to see its much larger cousin Oryctes nasicornis.

 

[Steliz]

I occasionally get stag beetles in my garden. The biggest one I've seen was about 9cm. I had a smaller one, about 6cm, a few days ago but it seemed to be injured.

 

[Adam W.]

That's a shame. They don't seem to be here, as the Danes have a tidy up fetish and decaying wood in your garden is a sign of a slovenly attitude.

 

[morqthana]

Heard a bit on GQT recently, about how everyone loves to see butterflies in their gardens but noone wants the caterpillars....

 

[morqthana]

decaying wood in your garden is a sign of a slovenly attitude.

I call mine "a fence".

 

[Tris]

Talking if caterpillars, found this on some willowherb last year.

 

[morqthana]

Impressive - do you know what it is?

 

[Tris]

I think it is an elephant hawk moth caterpillar

 

[imageel]

I've had a couple of their adults recently

scudding across my lawn, not the prettiest of beasts but quite large ~30mm

 

[imageel]

A few years ago I had one of these fearsome looking things outside my workshop - turns out to be a privet hawk moth

 

[MikeJhn]

Privet hawk moths are an invasive species and have to be reported in the UK, as do processional caterpillars which believe it or not can kill other animals due to the hair being toxic and cause swelling to such an extent that if the tongue is infected, choking is a possibility.

 

[Stigmorgan]

Privet hawk moths are an invasive species and have to be reported in the UK, as do processional caterpillars which believe it or not can kill other animals due to the hair being toxic and cause swelling to such an extent that if the tongue is infected, choking is a possibility. View attachment 138555

The Oak processionary moth is particularly invasive, in the Surrey area, it hasn't quite reached my school grounds yet butnits something I check my oak trees for on a regular basis, not only do they cause us and other living creatures health problems they do great damage to the tree too.
https://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/tr...KcPuqEKggqPbD8He83xoCGwcQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

 

[Cooper]

Like Adam, I have a lot of rotting wood in my garden. We used to see lots of these Stag Beetles. Sadly this is the first one I have seen in the garden for a couple of years. I think that they come out looking for a mate but I suspect that to quote the Rolling Stones this one "Couldn't Get No Satisfaction".
I think they are grubs for a long time before they emerge. I hope the rotting wood is concealing a few more brothers and sisters we will see in coming years.
Martin

 

[imageel]

Privet hawk moths are an invasive species and have to be reported in the UK, as do processional caterpillars which believe it or not can kill other animals due to the hair being toxic and cause swelling to such an extent that if the tongue is infected, choking is a possibility. View attachment 138555

I cant find any reference to reporting privet hawk moths - processionals yes. Grateful if you can post a link etc as the majority of search results extol the value of these caterpillars and at least one selling them!

 

[Jacob]

I cant find any reference to reporting privet hawk moths - processionals yes. Grateful if you can post a link etc as the majority of search results extol the value of these caterpillars and at least one selling them!

Privet Hawk moths are harmless. Privet hawk-moth | The Wildlife Trusts

 

[stuart little]

Heard a bit on GQT recently, about how everyone loves to see butterflies in their gardens but noone wants the caterpillars....

Ah but there are caterpillars and CATERPILLARS. I cannot grow brassicas because swarms of cabbage whites decend like locusts & leave their little blighters to feed! Def. not the caterpillars that are wanted.

 

[morqthana]

I think they are grubs for a long time before they emerge.

Several years, typically.

 

[Trainee neophyte]

Ah but there are caterpillars and CATERPILLARS. I cannot grow brassicas because swarms of cabbage whites decend like locusts & leave their little blighters to feed! Def. not the caterpillars that are wanted.

Allegedly nasturtiums will attract all the butterflies and help protect your brassicas. If nothing else it will make your veg patch look happy. You should also be growing a few chrysanthemum to control nematodes. I don't do either, but I really ought to, apparently.

 

[stuart little]

I just 'stick' to growing runner beans!