Funky new garden pest

[me&thegals]

Usually I can count on my herbs to stay healthy and bug free. Not this year!! I have a small bug, perhaps a bit smaller than a lady bug, black and fluorescent green vertical stripes, soft bodied but looks like a beetle. They are all over my mint, sage, oregano, bee balm and lemon catnip--pretty much every herb except the dill and garlic.

I have never seen a bug like this before and cannot find it in my bug book. I have dial-up and an ancient computer, so sorry that I cannot post a picture!

These bugs leave round, small, dried-up spots ALL over the foliage. Obviously this is not good for trying to sell beautiful organic herbs (or for using them).

Does anybody have any idea what this might be? How to get rid of it? Thanks in advance!

 

[Catalina]

It sounds like four line bugs.

I posted a while back about them. They use their little mouth sucker to suck chlorophyl (sp?) from the plants. That leaves little depressed spots on your plant.

They are all over my plants!! Apparently sevin dust is the only way to get rid of them. So, I guess I'll have them for a long time. I have been trying to use DE on them, but so far they are still alive and sucking.

 

[me&thegals]

Thanks so much, Catalina! With a name, now I have a place to start!