At their November meeting The Romsey Organic Gardeners (TROG) welcomed Alan Edmondson, a regular contributor to BBC Radio Solent’s The Good Life, to talk about beetles: ‘Friend or Foe’.

Alan said this is the most numerous of animal species with a new one being discovered worldwide every week.

The Ground Beetle (Carabidae) which many will have seen is fast moving which means it is a predator. This is definitely a friend as it eats many different pests including slugs. The Carabide family is large and the most common garden one is the violet ground beetle, C. Violaceous.

Alan showed us the strangely named Devil’s Coach Horse a member of the Staphylinidae family or Rove Beetles. Its long segmented abdomen will arch up if threatened and emit a foul odour as a defence. Being coloured black with large pincers it seems to have been associated with the devil from the Middle Ages. They eat invertebrates including worms but on the whole a friend to the gardener.

One of the beetles most will recognise are Stag Beetles from the Lucanidae family. The large mandibles look like antlers giving it a ferocious appearance. Unfortunately this friend is becoming rarer. The grubs live on decaying wood for three to four years and do no harm but don’t like being moved. To encourage them bury a log partly in the earth, this is better than just stacking logs in a pile.

Of course not all beetles are on the gardener’s side. The larvae of the Elateridae or click beetle are known as wireworms. They live in the soil but some species will feast on the roots of potatoes, brassicas and carrots. The best way to deal with them is by digging the soil over and exposing them for birds to eat.

Vine weevils are one of the worst pests that attack ornamental plants both outdoor and indoor, particularly those in containers. The adult feeds on leaves but the grubs do the most damage attacking roots of plants in the autumn and winter causing wilting and even death. Growers use a ½ inch layer of grit over a pot to stop the beetle laying its eggs in the soil.

Perhaps the best known friend is the ladybird or Coccinellidae with over 40 species. The adults and grubs will consume vast quantities of aphids. Alan showed the adult seven spot which can come in a variety of forms. There are also 22 spot as well as two spotted ones which can even be red spot on black.

Alan showed that this small creature can be a fascinating subject. For the gardener it pays to know which ones are on your side.

TROG’s next meeting is on Thursday December 4) at 7.30pm in the Crosfield Hall annex. Barry Clarke will delve into the diverse world of wild raspberries and other edible relatives found in the Hampshire countryside. Visitors are welcome for a small contribution and can join members to discuss their experiences over a cup of tea or coffee.

Ian Tripp, for The Romsey Organic Gardner’s club