Dr Ian Bedford a former entomologist for John Innes says he has been fascinated by insects for as long as he can remember. From breeding butterflies as a youngster, his working life was spent in plant science where he ran the Entomology Dept at the John Innes Centre in Norwich until he retired after 42 yrs.  Ian now works as an independent entomologist, offering advice in the development and use of non-chemical plant protection products and supporting wildlife-friendly home gardening.

Ian will discuss the good and bad garden bugs we often find in our gardens and what we should do with them? This talk reveals the environmentally friendly ways of keeping plant pests under control without harming the beneficial creatures.  Also, what can we do when foreign pests such as the Spanish slug invade our gardens?