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Pyrrhocoris apterus (firebugs)


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Hi,

I have just come across what seems like millions of ladybirds in my garden.......they are more oval than the UK ones and have more black spots....they are living all up the trunk of my tree and under plants etc.....are these ladybirds harmless to my kids and dog???????? also do they do any damage in such large numbers? May be a coincidence but a ground covering conifer has just died where they are all living.

I have tried google but did not find any pictures of the exact same one.

Thanks

Julie

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I have spent the last 30mins or so trying to find out some info on these bugs on google, there seems very little info out there.

I would like to buy some insecticide to get rid of them if possible? They have taken over a area we plan to use in the summer and if they were in small numbers this would not be a problem however this is not the case.

Has anyone out there got any idea what i can buy? or will they just disappear by themselves once mating season is over????

Julie

 

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[quote user="Barbel Bob"]...They have taken over a area we plan to use in the summer...[/quote]

Rephrase that to say 'they live in an area we intend to take over in the summer...'.

It's just a different way to look at it. I have gazillions of them and they're no problem.

I don't kill them and they don't harm me. I'll admit to squishing the odd greenfly but going after these guys is a bit mean, in my view.

They are not interested in what chair you're sitting on or what book you're reading or anything else of that ilk. They just beetle around, on the floor, in the garden. It's not as though they're asking for a nice bed and duvet in the house.[;-)]

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[quote user="Barbel Bob"]

 

I have spent the last 30mins or so trying to find out some info on these bugs on google, there seems very little info out there.

I would like to buy some insecticide to get rid of them if possible? They have taken over a area we plan to use in the summer and if they were in small numbers this would not be a problem however this is not the case.

Has anyone out there got any idea what i can buy? or will they just disappear by themselves once mating season is over????

Julie

[/quote]

Julie

try searching for this on google france "Pyrrhocoris apterus" and this brings heaps of information. They don't cause any problems to humans or animals or plants that I am aware of. They mate in Spring. They are all over the place at the moment. Why do you want to kill them?

see this page for more info  - about 2 thirds down the page

Danny

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Hi,

 

I have now read enough about them to realise that they are not harmful to the tree that they have currently set up home in....[:D]  It must be just a coincidence that the tree next to this has died, so i will let them be, they seem happy enough at the moment all back to back mating!!!!!

Thanks but i had to be reassured they would not be harmful to my children or dog.......i read recently about the procession caterpillars and now worry.

Julie

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