No one wants to be stung by a bee or wasp. Bee and wasp stings are painful and there is the added concern of allergic reactions. Bees and wasps usually have a combination of yellow, black and red colours. In the insect world, yellow, black and red colours spell danger for would be predators. We … Continue reading If it looks like a bee, flies like a bee, buzzes like a bee, then it must be a bee?
Tag: Okanagan
The Conchuela Stink Bugs are in Town
Conchuela stink bugs show up occasionally in large numbers in the Okanagan valley and can cause damage to vegetables, fruits, berries, grapes, and ornamentals. I have seen lots in a vineyard and vegetable gardens in the past. They like Oregon grape and firethorn berries. We are seeing a few nuisance bugs in the heat this … Continue reading The Conchuela Stink Bugs are in Town
Bloom Time
Spring is my favourite season in the Okanagan. The orchards are in bloom - cherries, apricots, peaches apples, it is just gorgeous. Other plants and trees are flowering as well; forsythias, lilacs, maples, willows, Oregon grapes, Saskatoons, chokecherries, and the hillsides are covered with arrowleaf balsamroot (Okanagan sunflowers). Being a bug person, I am always … Continue reading Bloom Time
Feathered Friends
I saw a few birds while bugging around and on hikes with my girlfriends this summer. We found birds feasting on bugs and others hunting for bugs. I do not know my birds and would like to thank my birder girlfriend for the education. We went hiking at the Myra Canyon Trestles in Kelowna last … Continue reading Feathered Friends
Praying Mantids
I saw an insect flying clumsily in an alfalfa field a few weeks ago and those who know me will probably guess what I did next – well I followed it until it landed and to my surprise it was a praying mantid. Not the most graceful flier :). The praying mantid gets its name … Continue reading Praying Mantids
Air Show
I saw an awesome display by some dragonflies during my lunch walk yesterday. Dragonflies have beautiful colours, delicate wings and very big eyes. In some species the eyes meet at the top of the head and they can turn their head 360 degrees. You have to be quite stealthy approaching them - took me a … Continue reading Air Show
Stink Bug Alley
Talk about a bad stink bug; the brown marmorated stink bug - it has made quite a name for itself and has been called the most destructive, notorious, annoying, ugly etc stink bug. The name is quite a mouthful, I have had people calling it marmalade bug and other names I am not allowed to … Continue reading Stink Bug Alley
We have tail pipes
Aphids have tail pipes (cornicles). They can be a serious problem on many plants and trees in the valley. They are small, pear-shaped, soft - bodied insects and come in all sorts of colours; green, black, yellow, red, etc. To identify aphids, look for the tail pipes (cornicles) on the bum end. They are usually … Continue reading We have tail pipes
Got flies?
I saw some trees covered with netting last week and that got me thinking about two serious fly pests of cherries in the valley; western cherry fruit fly and spotted wing drosophila. These two are responsible for most of the worms in cherries if untreated (very unpleasant). Cherry fruit fly is about the size … Continue reading Got flies?
FYI – The marmots ate the peaches 😲
You can spot marmots in the Okanagan valley. They live in burrows and feed on green plants. They are cute looking things but they can cause damage to vegetable gardens. We visited a peach orchard a few weeks ago and saw extensive damage to the fruit. My co-workers and I debated who could have caused … Continue reading FYI – The marmots ate the peaches 😲
Bugs N Stuff 