Identifying insects, pests and diseases

[dominic10]

Does anyone know of a good book. I do have quite a few gardening books but nothing with illustrations about. Does anyone know of anything I could buy or get from the library.

Today at the allotment I was bitten by a brightly coloured flying creature about 3/4 of an inch long with purple and orange markings around the head. They seem to have big eyes. Can anyone identify this from my poor description?

Thanks

[pdblake]

It's the Purple Headed Jamaican Swine Fly. Are you getting a craving for Rum Truffles?

Seriously, no idea. Have you tried googling for flies and wasps and wotnots?

[FionaH]

It's the Purple Headed Jamaican Swine Fly. Are you getting a craving for Rum Truffles?

Seriously, no idea. Have you tried googling for flies and wasps and wotnots?

I hope it wasn't a wotnot, they can be very nasty

[pdblake]

I hope it wasn't a wotnot, they can be very nasty

All depends on where they bite you. You definately don't want a wotnot bite on your wotsit

[ginger ninger]

Those Thingymajigs are very painful as well...Sorry only joking
I bought a little book for £2.99 called "PESTS & DISEASES" BY 'AURA GARDEN GUIDES, its a good read, most garden centers will stock it.

[dominic10]

Book on pest and diseases

Thanks for your replies. I love growing things but have a complete phobia about insects and really object to them eating my veggies. I was once stung sitting on the loo. Fortunately I wasn't stung on my wotsit but it was a close thing as we had a nest and i had seven of the buggers dive bombing me - got stung on the arm in the end.

I also contracted Lyme Disease about 6 and a half years ago so gardening is my therapy but I have a pretty well established tick phobia too.

The guys I help need an illustrated guide and us too and I have done some research on eBay and Amazon and ordered The Complete Illustrated Handbook of Garden Pests and Diseases and How to Get Rid of Them (Complete Illustrated Handbook) from Amazon. This should be interesting reading for an insect phobic.

I am experimenting with rhubarb leaf sprays at the moment to ward off cabbage white and am also going to make Zazzen's chilli and onion mix. We've also got hold of some pallets and are building some cages to protect crops - thanks to Freecycle which I heard about here.

We are very lucky in our own garden and allotment we share with others (fingers crossed) but seem to have every pest going on the allotment I help with. Soul destroying for the guys who are working hard to grow stuff.

I'll have a look at the other book at our GC today thanks for the info.

[Two_Sheds]

We ...seem to have every pest going on the allotment ...Soul destroying for the guys who are working hard to grow stuff.

Well, you are growing food. It's food for bugs as well as us.

You need some nasty bugs (aphids) in order to support the nice things (ladybirds, blue tits)

[dominic10]

To be honest I have never seen so many ladybirds as on our allotment site!

And in our garden we have hundreds of dragonflys. We have a small fishing pond nearby and next to it is a small wildlife pond which my son helped to dig out when he was at school. We have had a nice crop of raspberries and strawberries this year at home and the birds and slugs have been very kind and left quite a few for us! I'm growing quite a few things in containers thanks to the advice and encouragement on here but we seem to have an extraordinary number of leatherjackets.

I think I am doing my bit to keep the predators happy!