Country diary: A gleaming beetle that could be bad news for my garden favourites | Susie White
A gardener in Northumberland reports the arrival of the invasive rosemary beetle, a Mediterranean species that threatens native Lamiaceae plants. The beetle has no natural predators in the UK and can cause significant damage to lavender, sage, and rosemary.
Why it matters
It illustrates the impact of climate change and shifting migration patterns on local ecosystems and gardening.
A mating pair of rosemary beetles on a lavender stem. A mating pair of rosemary beetles on a lavender stem. Country diary Insects Country diary: A gleaming beetle that could be bad news for my garden favourites Allendale, Northumberland: On a hot autumn day, I see rosemary beetles here for the first time. This could be a problem for many thriving plants
Prefer the Guardian on Google T his year there have been several firsts in my garden: old lady, vestal and blood-vein moths attracted to the light trap; hummingbird hawk-moths , normally occasional, feeding summer-long from verbena and buddleia; and it’s a painted lady year – a once-a-decade event , these high-flying insects migrating from Africa through successive generations. Southerly winds and heatwaves have added to the species visiting my North Pennine garden.
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