Eary May in the Garden

Image not life size - Lily beetles are similar in size to ladybirds

I am on alert to visiting Lily beetles - Lilioceris lilii who are after my gorgeous lilies. These beetles are wily foes to have in your garden, and you might imagine that being bright red would mean that they are readily spotted and captured. However, they have a range of tricks up their scarlet sleeves in order to evade being caught, and you need all of your wits about you in order to get the upper hand. They are usually spotted mating or sun bathing on the upper surfaces of the topmost lily leaves. I thought that they must have eyes in the back of their heads because they immediately drop as soon as you approach. However, I have learnt that at the slightest hint of a shadow or any movement they instinctively move to the underside of the leaves or drop upside down onto the soil which neatly hides their bright red wings. Apparently they also squeak in order to warn to any other lily beetles frequenting the same plant. 

I am keeping my fingers crossed that my Argyranthemum frutescens - Marguerite daisy-tree has no menu appeal to any of the local deer population.

It's that time of year in the garden when so many flowers are bursting forth daily, and currently it is the Peony trees they are capturing our attention.