Hi,

I'm a first-time vegetable grower in Stirling, Scotland. I've set up & started to plant three raised beds, each protected with an enviromesh 'cage' (frame with enviromesh draped over and pegged down, coming to the ground so that the raised bed sits inside.)

In the last few days, I've noticed lots of insects that seem to be trapped inside the mesh cage. Haven't been able to identify them - they look a bit like lacewings but less green and less lacey(!). There are a cloud of them in each cage, tending to sit on the mesh on the sunny side but flying round if disturbed.

Do you think these are pests that have somehow got in to the cage, or (more likely?) flies that were in the soil within the cages and have recently hatched and found themselves stuck? Do you think I should worry about them?

Before becoming our vegetable patch, most of the area was a (very neglected) rose bed. We reused the soil and added municipal compost and manure.

Thanks for your advice!

Mary