Pest problems

[Kazedwards]

I have these little red bugs on 4 maybe 5 plants. I'm not sure what they are or what to do about them. Any help?


Those are the best pictures I could get. After I took them I brushed off and killed the bugs the best I could.


-Zach

[Kazedwards]

All but one plant seems heathy. The unhealthy plant is unrelated I think.


-Zach

[Johnniemar]

Those are aphids i believe. I have them also. I spray with dog and cat shampoo, mixed with a tablespoon of cooking oil in a quart spray bottle. Use a few drops of the pet shampoo and fill the bottle with wate.

[rnewste]

I use these products to control the insects. Spray in the evening to spare the bees:



Been very satisfied with the results.

Raybo

[Nematode]

I used to freak out and spray when I saw a few aphids, now I only spray them when the hoverflies seem to not keep up with them which does happen on occasion. Very cool to watch the hoverflies scanning your plants.
You can attract them with sweet alyssum, flowering herbs and garlic chives.

[Kazedwards]

Anyone know what these are? I haven't seen any on the tomatoes but they are on the ground cherries.



-Zach

[gorbelly]

Originally Posted by Kazedwards

Anyone know what these are? I haven't seen any on the tomatoes but they are on the ground cherries.

Colorado potato beetle larvae. They really like my ground cherry plants, too.

I'm not usually freaked out by bugs, but I find those particularly gross looking, so I just pick off the entire leaf and dispose of it. Bleah. Usually, they're all clustered together on the same leaf, so it's just easier that way.

Just started seeing them this week, although the ones in my garden are younger than that and still mostly look like clusters of tiny brown maggots, chowing down in little clusters on the leaves right next to the bright orange egg shells they recently vacated. Yuck.

The ground cherries are right to my tomatoes, but there are none whatsoever on the tomatoes. So Nematode is right that tomatoes are not their preferred host. I don't have any on my eggplants.

[Tracydr]

I think they may be parasitized aphids.

[MissS]

Originally Posted by Tracydr

I think they may be parasitized aphids.

No I don't think they are that. There is an aphid next to them at the bottom of the leaf. They are too big and have a segmented body with a well-defined head.

If I am remembering correctly, these are the larvae of some sort of beetle. Which one, I just do not recall....... It is not surprising as Lady Bug larvae look quite similar. If you look closely at them they are going through a molting of their skins in the photo.

[Nematode]

Look like colorado potato bug larvae to me.

[Kazedwards]

Should I just brush them off? Pull the plants?


-Zach

[Nematode]

Squish 'em.
Look under leaves for orange egg masses, squish them too.
Spinosad works.

If they are CPB, in my experience tomato is not the preferred host if potato or eggplant is available.

[MissS]

Save the plants and squish the bugs... Or if you are a bit queasy then brush them into a container of soapy water.

[brownrexx]

They look like larvae of the 3 lined potato beetle. They carry their excrement on their backs!

Squish em.

[Kazedwards]

Thanks Gorbelly. That's what I've been doing too. The ground cherries are putting on new growth too. I'm also growing a few husk tomatoes that they haven't been on. Both are Physalis. It seems they prefer only one of them.


-Zach