Beetles?

Loz46

I've got beer slug traps in the allotment and seem to be catching what I think is a lot of ground beetles in them.
I just wondered if these are good for the allotment or not - do they eat seedlings or will they eat the other buggers that will eat them?

Need to decide whether to take measures to help them get out or not.

Thanks!

Dovefromabove

Oooh poor little beetles - they're our friends - they eat slugs, leatherjackets, cutworms and all sorts of nasties.

Best idea is to have the slug pubs protruding out of the soil by an inch - the slugs will still get in there - we know how determined they can be - but the beetles will run along, bump their heads on the side of the pub and veer off in another direction 

Steve 309

Hi Lauren.  Totally agree with Dove here: the black beetles ('ground beetles' - I thought that was Spanish Fly ) that scurry around live under stones and eat the little slugs that would otherwise be munching your plants.

You could encourage them by providing tiles, pieces of wood or even cardboard for them to hide under, with the added bonus that some of the (presumably suicidal) slugs will also hide under there in the daytime and then you can catch and kill them.

Fairygirl

I love ground beetles 

Dove's advice is spot on. They're our friends in the garden.

barry island

Ground beetles good click beetles bad.

Steve 309

Rove beetles also good - they're the ones with short front wings/wing cases, like the Devil's coach horse beetle.

Lupin 1

What are the fat green ones built like armered tanks? I'm getting a few of those.

Fairygirl

Do you mean shield bugs KEF?

Lupin 1

I'll have a Google fairy thanks.

Lupin 1

Spot on Fairy  Must have been my ace description. I'll make sure they stay away from my beans etc.    Wonder if they've eaten my tree lilies LOL. 

Dovefromabove

We love shield bugs