In article , Rod Craddock
writes
Just 2p worth to add to Janet's posting. The aphids don't get it all their
own way. If you look very carefully at those colonies you may see shiny
brown/silvery objects that look like dried up aphids -that's exactly what
they are, they've been parasitised by a tiny wasp which lays its egg in the
aphid, the wasp larva feeds inside the aphid and kills it. Look even closer,
possibly with a hand lens and you'll see a single hole in the end of some of
them: an adult wasp has emerged from those to continue the good work. To see
the wasps look closely and don't think big, black and yellow - look for tiny
black insects only 2mm or so long with very slender bodies.

thanks - I'd wondered about them!

Currently I'm trying to spot my rsm predator among the red spiders ;-)
--
Kay
"Do not insult the crocodile until you have crossed the river"