Special plants and outdoor living areas are often the focus of our gardens but are only part of the picture. Another part is the world of bugs, bees, butterflies, spiders and their relations.

They’re fascinating and numerous with an estimate for Australia of over 300,000 species, many unnamed. We would probably like to do without cabbage white butterflies and grasshoppers, but most of those busy little animals provide us with various services. They contribute to the health of our gardens.

Of all orchid pests, the Dendrobium beetle (Stethopachys formosa) is without doubt, top of the list when it comes to destroying an otherwise healthy plant.

An Australian native, this beetle is native to the tropical/subtropical parts of the country, and is at its destructive best during the warmer periods of the year.