What is this bug?

[coastal bend]

I hope it is not the tomato bug. I have a picture of one on my tomato plant but can't get on here. Look below the main terminal and see if there are feeding punctures around the stem.
http://forums.gardenweb.com/forums/l...565814405.html

[coastal bend]

It looks like the one I had on my tomato plants.013.JPG

[ginger2778]

Yes Coastal Bend, that is it exactly! What is it? And yes, I have seen it on many different leaves, many different plants. I have never seen a single loan aphid, and aphids just don't crawl around like this thing. I sprayed Organicide on it, that has 3 oils and some soap in it. It takes so long to spray each plant thoroughly that I have only gotten to half of them.

Marsha

[coastal bend]

This is what they did to my tomatoes. They feed on the main stem below the terminal of the plant. The next blooms above that will not survive. I was lucky that I had a big crop of tomatoes made. They do not hurt them. So I did not make anymore tomatoes above the damage. Two weeks later the plants did start to set fruit but by then it was getting into the high heat of the year and they did not do good. I would look below the terminals and look for the puncture marks. They will be in a circle around the stem. I sprayed Spinosad on them. It is a BT and it did control them. Best to watch for them and not let them get out of control. The adults lay a lot of eggs and they will hatch at different times so you have to break the cycle to get control. It was to late for me they did the damage. Last year the first one I saw I treated the plants and did not have any problems. I would think you would have to respray again to try and get control of them. Hope that helps.

[coastal bend]

Here is what the buds looked like above the damage.014.JPG

[ginger2778]

Originally Posted by coastal bend

Here is what the buds looked like above the damage.Attachment 41205

Spinosad? I have Thurcide, maybe that will work too. Those blossoms do look like what I see. Coastal, thank you so much! This is exactly why this forum is so good. The people here are so wise, and so willing to help.
I am so happy to get a positive ID on this thing.

Marsha

[coastal bend]

spinosad comes in brand names Monterey and I think Captain Jack. Spinosad is a hot BT and takes out other insects besides worms. A lot better than the older BT's. here is a link that will tell you about the Tomato Bug
http://www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/PMG/r783301811.html