While thinning fruit on my apple tree, I came across these little critters. They are about a half-inch long and mainly black with orange in the middle of their backs.

Are these good bugs or bad bugs? If they are bad, how do I get rid of them without harming the fruit and beneficial insects like ladybugs?

– Patricia Dewey, Suisun City

"I'm so glad you recognize and appreciate the importance of beneficial insects in the garden," said UC Master Gardener Kim Belford. Especially since these rather scary-looking critters you mentioned are one of the "good" guys.

According to Belford, they are convergent lady beetles, often referred to as ladybugs. Like butterflies, the ladybeetle lifecycle is a complete metamorphosis: egg, larva, pupa and adult.

The red and black alligatorlike creatures are the larval stage of this life cycle. Although aphids are usually their meal of choice, these young ones are voracious eaters of many other soft-bodied garden pests, such as mites, scale and whitefly.

Encourage these and other beneficials in your garden by providing water and a variety of flowering plants for habitat and food. Adult lady beetles feed on nectar, pollen and honeydew as well as pest insects.

Also, avoid the use of insecticides whenever possible, as ladybugs and their larva are susceptible to even the least-toxic preparations.

I have a corn plant in our family room. It has grown so that it is now touching the ceiling. Is it OK to cut it at the top?

– Dorothy Reardon, Carmichael

According to UC Master Gardener Bill Pierce, the indoor corn plant (Dracaena fragrans "Massanglana") may be pruned in the spring or summer – especially if it's touching the ceiling.

Simply cut off the stem at the height you desire. New foliage will grow at the cut.

There's a bonus: More corn plants. The removed stem can be cut into pieces of 10 to 12 inches long and rooted for new plants. The removed top will also root.

For the cuttings, use a mixture of half peat moss and sand or perlite as the rooting medium. Keep the mixture damp but not soggy wet and place your cuttings in a shady place until growth is apparent.

Then gradually bring the new plants into stronger light and repot them using a good grade potting soil.

Your original plant can be left in the house after pruning or moved outside to a covered patio or lath house.

I have two pluot or plumcot trees. They were planted bareroot three years ago and just started bearing fruit this year. The problem seems to be curly leaf, perhaps caused by aphids. I bought a spray at the nursery; it didn't help. What type of spray do I need and when should I apply it? Also, how should I prune and shape these trees? They're almost 12 feet tall.

– Jim Howard, Citrus Heights

UC Master Gardener Bill Pierce says that pluots are most like plums, UC Publication 7262, "Plums: Calendar of Operations for Home Gardeners," will provide you with basic information about fertilization, pruning and managing pests. The free publication is available at the UC Cooperative Extension office, 4145 Branch Center Road, Sacramento, CA 95827. To receive it by mail, send your request along with a stamped, self-addressed, business-size envelope to the extension office.

Insecticidal soaps can be effective if applied to both top and underside of foliage. Be persistent with the curled foliage. Strong blasts from the garden hose also work.

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