[Slave77]

Ok so this guy I haven't seen before, large chunky, over an inch long, found him wandering on the fleece on veg bed.... Anyone put me outa my misery and tell me he's a good guy and may possibly eat New Zealand flat worm ?

[tagwex]

Looks like a Cockchafer to me. Also called a may bug, around these parts it's called a brown bee. The grubs eat the roots of everything, so not a good guy to have around.

[tippben]

That's a Cockchafer, or May bug. The larvae eat plant roots. Sorry.

[Slave77]

Wow lucky me, I have a right old circus of pests don't I

Thanks guys, I can just hear ye breathe sighs of relief that it ain't ye having to post these pest problems..... I have couch grass too tagwex, I feel your pain

[Greengage]

No positive human benefit has been attributed to the Cockchafer, Adults generally only cause damage when they are found in extremely large populations. Larvae, however, are reviled in gardens and farms everywhere they inhabit. This is because the larvae gorge themselves for over 3 years on the fresh rootlets of plants and trees. Im sure their roll in life and their contribution to the natural world is more important than ours so enjoy this exoctic insect, report your findings to biodiversity ireland.

[Slave77]

I hear you Greengage, but won't she just lay eggs which in turn will haunt me and my veg for the next 3 years

[tagwex]

You should borrow good guys size 12 hobnails and that would be an end to it!
Are you sure it is a she?

[Slave77]

Tagwex are you sure it's not a she??? after my "eventful" week getting to know my soil and it's inhabitants, the inevitable crunch of said cockchafer meeting a size 12 would just make all the heebeejeebees worse

[tagwex]

RIP