ants & cuke beetles

piegirl · September 4, 2010

Anywhere there is a crack or slightest hint of a crack - crawling with small black ants running inside the tom and out. Also since the cukes are pretty well dead, the cuke beetles are all over the tomatoes - they appear to making small bites? will sevin work on this? piegirl

goodwin · September 4, 2010

hi -
Sevin is pretty strong stuff. A soap solution will work, and I often pick tomatoes early that are prone to cracking.
Good luck - sounds like a rough year, though.

**carolyn137** · September 5, 2010

Quote:

Originally Posted by piegirl

Anywhere there is a crack or slightest hint of a crack - crawling with small black ants running inside the tom and out. Also since the cukes are pretty well dead, the cuke beetles are all over the tomatoes - they appear to making small bites? will sevin work on this? piegirl

Cuke beetles only affect Cucurbits such as cukes and melons and squash, but not tomatoes.

If you're talking about small holes in the leaves that's probably flea beetles.

I don't have any ant problems so I'll let others make suggestions for those but please don't ever use something like Sevin on edibles b'c it's a systemic pesticide.''For the flea beetles try the combo of pyrethrin/rotenone, but to be honest, I just ignore them.

piegirl · September 5, 2010

the cuke beetles are on the tomatoes but not the foliage. I understand about pesticides and try my best not to use them. But crop sitting out there in the backyard is huge, late but huge. Had flea beetles and every other bug and disease known in the area but those jet stars are incredible this year. Ants on the tomatoes this year - that's new. The local PBS gardening show announced our Midwest Tomato Fest and said well, maybe it will be festival of rots and spots

. piegirl

RinTinTin · September 5, 2010

Ants are relatively easy to control. To repel them, grow tansy. The tansy usually offered as plants at nurseries is not true tansy. You need the true tansy (Tanacetum vulgare), which is not that easy to come by, as many states/counties consider it to be a 'noxious weed'. One source I know of is J. L. Hudson, Seedsman in California. He sells a pack (10,000+ seeds) for $2.50. It also repels a lot of flies. It is a hardy perennial with tiny yellow flowers, and fern like foliage.

To kill the ants you already have is easy if you know where they live and/or forage. Solution #1 is to take your tea kettle full of boiling water and pour it down their hill...might take several applications until the survivors decide that it is time to move. Solution #2 is to take some cornmeal and spread it liberally around their hill. The foragers will gladly take it home for the rest of the colony. Once consumed, it bloats up inside their system. I am not certain if they die from gastritis or constipation, that is purely academic to the fact that it is fatal to them, and they will gladly eat it.
Hope this helps you.

dice · September 9, 2010

I find that little black ants like cover. I usually find them under
a row of stepping stones in the lawn when I pull them up before
mowing. So when looking for their nest around the garden, turn
things over that they could hide under.

Barbee · September 9, 2010

I am having a terrible time with cuke beetles on my tomatoes for the first time ever. They don't do any damage to the foliage that I can see, but they sure do start in on the fruit once it gets the least bit of a blush to it. I have put up with it all summer and try to pick at the first hint of blush.

I tried the garlic spray thinking that would deter them but I think they like the smell!

tjg911 · September 9, 2010

i never heard of cuke beetles on tomatoes. could it something else?

the ant suggestions are good and i'll add boric acid too, fatal to ants but afaik safe to all others including people. you can buy it as a liquid and place it where their trails are. they eat it and take it back to the nest and that will kill the entire nest. ants in the house are pests but outside are predators and may be a valuable aid in combating other bugs.

Barbee · September 9, 2010

No, it's definitely cuke beetles.Both spotted and striped. They start in eating on the fruit the minute it starts to blush. They have ruined a ton of tomatoes this year.

I have tried Neem oil and the garlic spray. Neither one is working worth a hoot on them. So now, it's a stand off between me and the cuke beetles to see who can get ahold of the blushing tomatoes first.

RinTinTin · September 11, 2010

Try using free space around your plants to sow radishes. Radish is very small, fast maturing, and repel cucumber beetles.

Barbee · September 11, 2010

How about that?!
Thanks for the suggestion and I'll sure try it next year. This is my first year for growing giant pumpkins and the cuke beetles love them so I figured they must have drawn the cukes in...since I've never had a problem with them before this year. I'll put radishes on my list of seeds to order this winter.

piegirl · September 13, 2010

Barbee - did you notice the buggers bite??? piegirl

Barbee · September 13, 2010

Ha! No, I've not noticed them biting yet, but usually when I'm out there with them, I'm flailing my arms about and making some not so nice comments and slinging tomatoes to the compost heap

Stepheninky · September 13, 2010

Greenlight Fruit and tree spray should work and it is safe for food crops it contains pyrithins and neem oil and a third ingredient that makes insecticides more effective. I know with it you can eat what you spray with it the next day.

September 9, 2010	#6
dice Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: PNW Posts: 4,743	I find that little black ants like cover. I usually find them under a row of stepping stones in the lawn when I pull them up before mowing. So when looking for their nest around the garden, turn things over that they could hide under. __________________ -- alias

September 9, 2010	#7
Barbee Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: SW Ohio Posts: 1,818	I am having a terrible time with cuke beetles on my tomatoes for the first time ever. They don't do any damage to the foliage that I can see, but they sure do start in on the fruit once it gets the least bit of a blush to it. I have put up with it all summer and try to pick at the first hint of blush. I tried the garlic spray thinking that would deter them but I think they like the smell! __________________ *Barbee*

September 9, 2010	#8
tjg911 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: zone 5b northwest connecticut Posts: 2,570	i never heard of cuke beetles on tomatoes. could it something else? the ant suggestions are good and i'll add boric acid too, fatal to ants but afaik safe to all others including people. you can buy it as a liquid and place it where their trails are. they eat it and take it back to the nest and that will kill the entire nest. ants in the house are pests but outside are predators and may be a valuable aid in combating other bugs. __________________ I need a hero I’m holding out for a hero ‘til the end of the night He’s gotta be strong And he’s gotta be fast And he’s gotta be fresh from the fight I need a hero I’m holding out for a hero ‘til the morning light He’s gotta be sure And it’s gotta be soon And he’s gotta be larger than life

September 9, 2010	#9
Barbee Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: SW Ohio Posts: 1,818	No, it's definitely cuke beetles.Both spotted and striped. They start in eating on the fruit the minute it starts to blush. They have ruined a ton of tomatoes this year. I have tried Neem oil and the garlic spray. Neither one is working worth a hoot on them. So now, it's a stand off between me and the cuke beetles to see who can get ahold of the blushing tomatoes first. __________________ *Barbee*

September 11, 2010	#11
Barbee Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: SW Ohio Posts: 1,818	How about that?! Thanks for the suggestion and I'll sure try it next year. This is my first year for growing giant pumpkins and the cuke beetles love them so I figured they must have drawn the cukes in...since I've never had a problem with them before this year. I'll put radishes on my list of seeds to order this winter. __________________ *Barbee*

September 4, 2010	#1
piegirl Tomatovillian™ Honoree Join Date: May 2006 Location: Lincoln, NE Posts: 791	ants & cuke beetles Anywhere there is a crack or slightest hint of a crack - crawling with small black ants running inside the tom and out. Also since the cukes are pretty well dead, the cuke beetles are all over the tomatoes - they appear to making small bites? will sevin work on this? piegirl

September 4, 2010	#2
goodwin Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Espanola, New Mexico Posts: 608	hi - Sevin is pretty strong stuff. A soap solution will work, and I often pick tomatoes early that are prone to cracking. Good luck - sounds like a rough year, though.

September 5, 2010	#4
piegirl Tomatovillian™ Honoree Join Date: May 2006 Location: Lincoln, NE Posts: 791	the cuke beetles are on the tomatoes but not the foliage. I understand about pesticides and try my best not to use them. But crop sitting out there in the backyard is huge, late but huge. Had flea beetles and every other bug and disease known in the area but those jet stars are incredible this year. Ants on the tomatoes this year - that's new. The local PBS gardening show announced our Midwest Tomato Fest and said well, maybe it will be festival of rots and spots . piegirl

September 5, 2010	#5
RinTinTin Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Seattle Posts: 581	Ants are relatively easy to control. To repel them, grow tansy. The tansy usually offered as plants at nurseries is not true tansy. You need the true tansy (Tanacetum vulgare), which is not that easy to come by, as many states/counties consider it to be a 'noxious weed'. One source I know of is J. L. Hudson, Seedsman in California. He sells a pack (10,000+ seeds) for $2.50. It also repels a lot of flies. It is a hardy perennial with tiny yellow flowers, and fern like foliage. To kill the ants you already have is easy if you know where they live and/or forage. Solution #1 is to take your tea kettle full of boiling water and pour it down their hill...might take several applications until the survivors decide that it is time to move. Solution #2 is to take some cornmeal and spread it liberally around their hill. The foragers will gladly take it home for the rest of the colony. Once consumed, it bloats up inside their system. I am not certain if they die from gastritis or constipation, that is purely academic to the fact that it is fatal to them, and they will gladly eat it. Hope this helps you.

September 13, 2010	#12
piegirl Tomatovillian™ Honoree Join Date: May 2006 Location: Lincoln, NE Posts: 791	Barbee - did you notice the buggers bite??? piegirl

September 13, 2010	#14
Stepheninky Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Kentucky Posts: 682	Greenlight Fruit and tree spray should work and it is safe for food crops it contains pyrithins and neem oil and a third ingredient that makes insecticides more effective. I know with it you can eat what you spray with it the next day.