Identify these larvae / bugs please?

[Two_Sheds]

^ Oldie, I don't think that's a very good attitude, tbh. We can't just go around killing things just because we don't know if they're good or bad. Grrrrrrrrrrrr

[Aberdeenplotter]

I'm with Oldie on this one. There is clearly an infestation. I would have exposed them to the birds at an early stage.

[Two_Sheds]

It's not an infestation, it's how that fly lays their eggs, in a cluster

If they're doing harm, then by all means ding them. I just don't like the general advice "if it looks nasty, kill it"

That's all. As you were.

[kathyd]

Lol, dissention in the ranks

Hmmm... Well, I'm inclined to move towards a bit of a compromise here... since we had so many St Mark's flies in that same orchard this year, and our fruit trees did fantastically well for the first time since we bought the house 4 years ago (gosh, is it really 4 years??), I think I'll risk leaving some of them and keep my fingers crossed. I'll expose the others and let them take their chances, acknowledging that I might live to regret it.

In an ideal world I'd let everything live, and try to work around it. However, I didn't realise until July this year when we early-retired and moved to Brittany just how unfit I am and what hard work it is trying to get a neglected mere 3/4 acre back into shape, so I'm compromising my principles left right and centre at the moment . I'm sure Bob Feverfew or Flowerdew or whatever his name is would have a fit .

Good to know I can get experienced advice so quickly on these forums though . Thx