Gardening Queries

[Old_Geezer]

Bugs & Bands

2 queries (although I've probably thousands if I took the time to list them)
:-)

a) Difficult to arrange access to a photo at present but some of my plants, notably the lillies, are "infested" with a bug that I would describe as a sort of more rectangular red ladybird but without the black spots. I have no idea if they are the foe eating the leaves, or the friend eating whatever's eating the leaves. Does the description mean anything to anyone, can anyone identify them ?

b) in order to protect the fruit & veg in the raised bed, I constructed a frame from bamboo sticks, plumbing pipe and a further bamboo stick connecting the two loops at the top; then slung netting over the lot. Seemed ok but to keep the connecting bamboo from falling I first tried the green plastic ties I had. They slipped within days. I needed something that would grip the smooth piping. So I replaced the ties with a couple of elastic bands each end. That stopped the slipping but they have deteriorated and were broken before the week was out. Does anyone have any suggestions for a longer lived gripping solution ?

TIA.

[woofgang]

oops link Amazon.co.uk User Recommendation

[TonyV]

Woofgang at those prices I would still buy cheap non disposable electrical cable ties.