Something I've learned, a pure coincidence, and the coolest thing

Carriehelene · July 11, 2015

Yesterday evening, I was walking thru the potato patch, that I had spent hours the week before searching for potato beetle larvae, squashing everything I could find. I found a ton of the older larvae happily munching the tops of my plants. Drowned all I found. Weird, I thought to myself, haven't seen any until now, but they were large, so obviously hiding well. Today, I walked thru that bed a dozen times, didn't see any.

So after working in my tomato bed all day (9 hours), weeding, putting down cardboard between rows, removing EB and septoria infected leaves, I needed a break from tomatoes. Well, onion patch needs weeding, so I started doing that. Came across a bug I hadn't seen before. "What the hell are you?" I ask it (like it's going to answer me lol). My DH is standing next to me and says it's a good bug, kills other bugs. Now don't get me wrong, I love him, and he's very smart about a lot of things, but occasionally, well, he's wrong. I'm like OK, and put it down.

Couple minutes later, I got tired of weeding onions, and walked the potato patch again. There were a bunch of potato beetle larvae again!! I walked the paths again and again, more larvae every time. I discovered the larvae crawl to the top of the plants in the evening. This is what I learned yesterday/today.

Now, this is where a pure coincidence and the coolest thing I've seen come into play

Remember I talked about the bug in the onion patch? So I'm walking the rows of potatoes over and over again. That's when I see it. A larvae on a leaf. Looks a little funny, but I go to pull it off anyways. Something moves above it. When that something moves, so does the larvae. Upon closer inspection, there is my mystery bug, and it's got the larvae impaled in the head! The larvae is obviously dead, and the bug was sucking it dry. OK, eww, but still the coolest thing I've seen, so I tried to get a pic of it for you all. gosh darnoodley thing started crawling up my arm, larvae in tow, I screamed like a girl, the bug dropped the larvae and flew away. I'm gonna search for every one of those bugs in my garden that I can find so they can eat to their hearts content

That concludes my story for today.

Bipetual · July 11, 2015

Quote:

Originally Posted by Carriehelene

Yesterday evening, I was walking thru the potato patch, that I had spent hours the week before searching for potato beetle larvae, squashing everything I could find. I found a ton of the older larvae happily munching the tops of my plants. Drowned all I found. Weird, I thought to myself, haven't seen any until now, but they were large, so obviously hiding well. Today, I walked thru that bed a dozen times, didn't see any.

So after working in my tomato bed all day (9 hours), weeding, putting down cardboard between rows, removing EB and septoria infected leaves, I needed a break from tomatoes. Well, onion patch needs weeding, so I started doing that. Came across a bug I hadn't seen before. "What the hell are you?" I ask it (like it's going to answer me lol). My DH is standing next to me and says it's a good bug, kills other bugs. Now don't get me wrong, I love him, and he's very smart about a lot of things, but occasionally, well, he's wrong. I'm like OK, and put it down.

Couple minutes later, I got tired of weeding onions, and walked the potato patch again. There were a bunch of potato beetle larvae again!! I walked the paths again and again, more larvae every time. I discovered the larvae crawl to the top of the plants in the evening. This is what I learned yesterday/today.

Now, this is where a pure coincidence and the coolest thing I've seen come into play

Remember I talked about the bug in the onion patch? So I'm walking the rows of potatoes over and over again. That's when I see it. A larvae on a leaf. Looks a little funny, but I go to pull it off anyways. Something moves above it. When that something moves, so does the larvae. Upon closer inspection, there is my mystery bug, and it's got the larvae impaled in the head! The larvae is obviously dead, and the bug was sucking it dry. OK, eww, but still the coolest thing I've seen, so I tried to get a pic of it for you all. gosh darnoodley thing started crawling up my arm, larvae in tow, I screamed like a girl, the bug dropped the larvae and flew away. I'm gonna search for every one of those bugs in my garden that I can find so they can eat to their hearts content

That concludes my story for today.

That is really cool. I can relate to talking to plants, and bugs. Not long ago I found an earwig all curled up in a basil leaf, he had been eating and pooping in one leaf for a while. I pulled fhe leaf off, cursed him, stepped on him repeatedly, and ground my foot back and forth for good measure, muttering all the while. Then I noticed my neighbors outside. Oops!

Hopefully the big crop of larvae will attract more of the larvae impaler-suckers! Sure it's gross, but it's kinda fascinating. Kinda satisfying, too, I bet!

Carriehelene · July 11, 2015

Totally! There are also lady bugs showing up to eat the smaller ones. They can eat the little monsters all they want lol. It's kinda funny, because I'm the gardener in the family. He flies by the seat of his pants. Keeps insisting the blight on his tomatoes is bug damage and not blight.

Bipetual · July 12, 2015

Quote:

Originally Posted by Carriehelene

Totally! There are also lady bugs showing up to eat the smaller ones. They can eat the little monsters all they want lol. It's kinda funny, because I'm the gardener in the family. He flies by the seat of his pants. Keeps insisting the blight on his tomatoes is bug damage and not blight.

Well, even a broken clock is right twice a day!

Karrr_Luda · July 13, 2015

Quote:

Originally Posted by Carriehelene

Yesterday evening, I was walking thru the potato patch, that I had spent hours the week before searching for potato beetle larvae, squashing everything I could find. I found a ton of the older larvae happily munching the tops of my plants. Drowned all I found. Weird, I thought to myself, haven't seen any until now, but they were large, so obviously hiding well. Today, I walked thru that bed a dozen times, didn't see any.

So after working in my tomato bed all day (9 hours), weeding, putting down cardboard between rows, removing EB and septoria infected leaves, I needed a break from tomatoes. Well, onion patch needs weeding, so I started doing that. Came across a bug I hadn't seen before. "What the hell are you?" I ask it (like it's going to answer me lol). My DH is standing next to me and says it's a good bug, kills other bugs. Now don't get me wrong, I love him, and he's very smart about a lot of things, but occasionally, well, he's wrong. I'm like OK, and put it down.

Couple minutes later, I got tired of weeding onions, and walked the potato patch again. There were a bunch of potato beetle larvae again!! I walked the paths again and again, more larvae every time. I discovered the larvae crawl to the top of the plants in the evening. This is what I learned yesterday/today.

Now, this is where a pure coincidence and the coolest thing I've seen come into play

Remember I talked about the bug in the onion patch? So I'm walking the rows of potatoes over and over again. That's when I see it. A larvae on a leaf. Looks a little funny, but I go to pull it off anyways. Something moves above it. When that something moves, so does the larvae. Upon closer inspection, there is my mystery bug, and it's got the larvae impaled in the head! The larvae is obviously dead, and the bug was sucking it dry. OK, eww, but still the coolest thing I've seen, so I tried to get a pic of it for you all. gosh darnoodley thing started crawling up my arm, larvae in tow, I screamed like a girl, the bug dropped the larvae and flew away. I'm gonna search for every one of those bugs in my garden that I can find so they can eat to their hearts content

That concludes my story for today.

Awesome! I need a few of those bugs in my garden!! I wonder what they are.

My Foot Smells · July 14, 2015

we need a picture of this dude, been working on my entomology. any larvae eating bug is a friend of mine (as long as they don't bite/sting).

Carriehelene · July 14, 2015

I did get a pic of a spider eating a larvae yesterday. But I only have my phone to take pictures with, and TV keeps telling me they are to big to post. To top it off, my computer won't recognize my iPhone 5s now, so no way to post pics on TV at this time apparently.

AlittleSalt · July 14, 2015

I've found those odd wasp looking bugs with the black wings and almost florescent looking bodies eat a lot of garden pests. I plan on researching good bug - bad bug during the off growing season. (Winter)

Karrr_Luda · July 14, 2015

Dis it look anything like this assassin bug? http://growingsmallfarms.ces.ncsu.ed...mphotojuly405/

Carriehelene · July 14, 2015

Quote:

Originally Posted by Karrr_Luda

Dis it look anything like this assassin bug? http://growingsmallfarms.ces.ncsu.ed...mphotojuly405/

Nope, but now I know what assassin bug looks like thanks! Always wondered but never bothered to look it up.

July 11, 2015	#1
Carriehelene Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Apr 2015 Location: Upstate NY Posts: 300	Something I've learned, a pure coincidence, and the coolest thing Yesterday evening, I was walking thru the potato patch, that I had spent hours the week before searching for potato beetle larvae, squashing everything I could find. I found a ton of the older larvae happily munching the tops of my plants. Drowned all I found. Weird, I thought to myself, haven't seen any until now, but they were large, so obviously hiding well. Today, I walked thru that bed a dozen times, didn't see any. So after working in my tomato bed all day (9 hours), weeding, putting down cardboard between rows, removing EB and septoria infected leaves, I needed a break from tomatoes. Well, onion patch needs weeding, so I started doing that. Came across a bug I hadn't seen before. "What the hell are you?" I ask it (like it's going to answer me lol). My DH is standing next to me and says it's a good bug, kills other bugs. Now don't get me wrong, I love him, and he's very smart about a lot of things, but occasionally, well, he's wrong. I'm like OK, and put it down. Couple minutes later, I got tired of weeding onions, and walked the potato patch again. There were a bunch of potato beetle larvae again!! I walked the paths again and again, more larvae every time. I discovered the larvae crawl to the top of the plants in the evening. This is what I learned yesterday/today. Now, this is where a pure coincidence and the coolest thing I've seen come into play Remember I talked about the bug in the onion patch? So I'm walking the rows of potatoes over and over again. That's when I see it. A larvae on a leaf. Looks a little funny, but I go to pull it off anyways. Something moves above it. When that something moves, so does the larvae. Upon closer inspection, there is my mystery bug, and it's got the larvae impaled in the head! The larvae is obviously dead, and the bug was sucking it dry. OK, eww, but still the coolest thing I've seen, so I tried to get a pic of it for you all. gosh darnoodley thing started crawling up my arm, larvae in tow, I screamed like a girl, the bug dropped the larvae and flew away. I'm gonna search for every one of those bugs in my garden that I can find so they can eat to their hearts content That concludes my story for today.

July 14, 2015	#9
Karrr_Luda Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2015 Location: USA NJ zone 6B Posts: 228	Dis it look anything like this assassin bug? http://growingsmallfarms.ces.ncsu.ed...mphotojuly405/ __________________ (:>=

July 14, 2015	#6
My Foot Smells Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2015 Location: Pulaski County, Arkansas Posts: 1,239	we need a picture of this dude, been working on my entomology. any larvae eating bug is a friend of mine (as long as they don't bite/sting).

July 14, 2015	#8
AlittleSalt BANNED FOR LIFE Join Date: May 2014 Posts: 13,333	I've found those odd wasp looking bugs with the black wings and almost florescent looking bodies eat a lot of garden pests. I plan on researching good bug - bad bug during the off growing season. (Winter)