Of Earwigs and Garden Shows

Regular correspondent Laurie has taken me to task in the past for defending Earwigs.  I've always treated earwigs as predators that help control other bug populations.  Laurie hit me with:Peter . I was shocked to hear you praise Earwigs . The bastards are destroying my garden , Vegies and flowers . I kill about 10 to 20 a day and I am losing the battle . I am spraying and leaving pieces of water pipe laying aound and empty each morning . The only other problems are white butterflies and the occasional snail or slug .
and more recently
Why can earwigs eat rhubarb leaves which are poison to humans?
I don't know Laurie! But just after I received this enquiry I found an article titled "Not all Earwigs are pests" and it would appear that both Laurie and I are both correct.  Native, Common Brown Earwigs (Labidura truncata, how's that for professional!) are predators... good for your garden. They love caterpillars, codling moth, cut worms, budworms, Slugs and even other Earwigs.  Common Brown Earwigs are big, up to 3cm long and have a distinct orange triangle on their backs.
The bad guys are nasty, European, imported interlopers. Smaller, darker, harder bodied and I imagine they have bad moustaches and terrible accents. So Laurie, please take a little care when you next go hunting for those wascally earwigs!  (Thanks to Hort Journal, August 2010)
Spring is almost here so the fete and show season is also starting:

It's Camellia Time and the flowers are blooming in great profusion!

Camellias Victoria and Waverley Garden Club are holding their annual Camellia Festival to celebrate their favourite flower plus lots more.

On Saturday, 21st August from 1 - 5 pm and Sunday, 22nd from 10 am to 4.30 pm. in the Mount Waverley Community Centre, Miller Crescent, Mount Waverley (Opposite the Railway Station).  There will be hundreds of beautiful blooms on display, along with general garden exhibits and also the Inaugural Winter Floral Art Championship, where some of Melbourne's best floral artists will compete for the top prize.   There will be plant sales of many different varieties of camellias and Devonshire teas when you have finished looking at all the exhibits.

Enquiries Shirley on 9802 3771.