NomeGrown: Rogues (and Heroes) Gallery

Having failed to find a helpful insect identification site online, I'm going to attempt to record and identify every creepy-crawlie I encounter on the plot or in the garden - at least, all those that let me photograph them - and categorise them simply for the layman (I haven't figured out how yet...). Some you'll recognise at once, some you may never have seen before - and maybe you can even help me ID one or two...

This page is (constantly) under construction!

Unidentified hanging pupa found in compost bin, mid-March (on upturned bin lid). Approx 3-4mm.

Unidentified eggs found in compost bin, late March.

Unidentified cocoon found in soil, early March. Some kind of fly? Approx 4-5mm.

Turnip moth larvae, I'm pretty sure. A nasty cutworm. Found in compost bin!

Lesser Yellow Underwing moth larva - a very common and destructive cutworm.

Lesser Yellow Underwing moth larva

Seven-spotted ladybirds

Sciarid fly (fungus gnat) larva. From those annoying little black flies that live in your houseplant pots. Usually not a problem, but this little larva destroyed a whole tray of pepper seedlings as they germinated.

Unidentified. Found in asparagus bed, late March. Approx 25-30mm. Unusually hard body with 18-19 segments.

As above.

Devil's Coach Horse larva. The Devil's Coach Horse is a generally beneficial ground beetle that eats grubs and worms in the soil.

Devil's Coach Horse larva

Unidentified. Found among grass roots, late March. Approx 10mm.

As above.

Unidentified larva, found in strawberry bed, mid-March

As above

Red Lily beetle

Squash bug?

Red fox

Cabbage moth (Mamestra Brassicae) caterpillar. Bad news! Pick off by hand, or spray with water and dust with flour to block their breathing holes.

Snake spotted millipedes. Feed on organic matter. They don't cause plant damage themselves, but sometimes move in on slug damage.

Bee

Small cabbage white (Pieris Rapae) caterpillar. Bad news! Pick off by hand, or spray with water and dust with flour to block their breathing holes.

Caterpillar, Arctiidae family, possibly Ruby Tiger moth. Found mid-March.

Common newt

Common newt

Red velvet mite. A garden friend, despite its alarming appearance.

Soldier beetle

Soldier beetle

Asparagus beetle. Eats asparagus and lays eggs on it. Larvae are even more destructive. Reduce numbers by growing petunias, tomatoes, basil and parsley beneath/beside asparagus, and pick any beetles or larvae off by hand.

Seven-spotted ladybird. One of a gardener's greatest friends! Eats aphids, and its larvae eat even more.

Seven-spotted ladybird

Tortoiseshell butterfly

Cinnabar moth

Mint moth. Eats mint, but rarely does significant damage. Very pretty!

Shield bug eggs

Ladybird eggs

House spider

Mealy cabbage aphids

Blackfly (aphids)

Whitefly and eggs on underside of broccoli leaf

Damselfly nymph

Damselfly, newly emerged

Damselfly nymph skins

Pond snail

Tadpoles

Pond snail

Pond snail eggs

Pond skater

Common garden snail

Common frog, baby

Meadow grasshopper, purple

Harlequin ladybird. An invasive species, outcompeting our natives, but still a useful aphid-muncher. Useful info on identifying ladybirds here and here.

Bean weevils (dead), hatched out in stores - doh! To avoid this, freeze beans after drying to kill any eggs.

Grey squirrel

Common frog

Brown-lipped snail, multi-striped form

Whitefly eggs on underside of kale leaf

Mottled Arum aphid

Mottled Arum aphid and young

Unidentified weevil (not vine weevil)

Common garden snail

Sciarid fly (fungus gnat) - commonly lives in houseplant soil.

Hawthorn shield bug

Unidentified cocoon found on rosemary plant, late March. 2-3mm.

Red and black froghopper

Moth larvae, probably a Drinker. Harmless.

Unidentified fly

Six spot burnet moth

White legged snake millipede

Arion Ater slug (black slug), brown form

Large cabbage white (Pieris Brassicae) caterpillar

Earth-boring dung beetle

Meadow grasshopper

Garden spider

Peacock butterfly

Asparagus beetle

Gatekeeper butterfly

Unidentified hoverfly

Tortoiseshell butterfly

Frogspawn

Large cabbage white (Pieris Brassicae) caterpillar on nasturtium leaf. Nasturtiums can be effective 'bait crops' to tempt these destructive pests away from brassicas.