TINY TUESDAY : HOVERFLY

Well, from high summer temperatures, we are now back to dull, gloomy, rainy and quite cold weather.  Good job I didn’t store my winter woollies away.

However, in the spirit of the challenge for Tiny Tuesday, I went out into the garden to try and find something  tiny - and found several things that fitted the bill - including some black fly on Mr. HCB’s runner beans - he does know about this and will be taking appropriate action, he tells me!

On the way round, I sampled a couple of strawberries, and our first raspberry (hope Mr. HCB doesn’t see this!) and was wondering how I could get my hands into the blueberry cage, because they are turning blue, but decided that wasn’t possible.

Then over to the blackberries, which are forming quite well, but still very green - when I spied this little Hoverfly, sitting quietly on a branch.  As I don’t know much about Hoverflies, I Googled them and understand in America they are known as Flower Flies - apparently they are “true” flies with only one pair of wings, whereas wasps and bees have two pairs - did you know that?  Apparently, many species are useful to the gardener, as their larvae eat pest aphids on garden plants and crops - perhaps I should have caught it and taken it over to the runner beans!

Even as I type, the Pest Control man has arrived and has duly injected something into the roof soffit where the wasps nest must be - he arrived at 9.30 and was gone by 9.40 - and we were his 4th call this morning.  Even if you take off £10 for the chemicals used, that still means he is paid £270 per hour!!  Ah well, if it rids us of the wasps, it will be worth it.  He says they should be gone within 24 hours - I will be watching closely from the bedroom window.

“The more I live, 
     the more I learn. 
The more I learn, 
     the more I realize, 
          the less I know.” 
Michel Legrand