boggybranch
Deeply Rooted
I went out to the garden, this morning, to find these little darlings happily lined up on my eggplant leaves, having a party. Anyone know what they are the larvae to?
Happily munching on my eggplants
- Thread starter boggybranch
- Start date
digitS'
Garden Master
Well Boggy, they don't quite seem reddish brown enuf for Colorado Potato Beetles, but that's what I suspect they are. There may just be a geographical difference.
These were what I was going on about with the availability of bug sprays the other day. Or at least, one of the serious concerns I have for the garden this year and my ability to defend it.
And, they loooove eggplant! Lots of things seem to love eggplants! Flea beetles love eggplant. Tomato horn worms love eggplant. One might think that potato and tomato bugs would prefer potatoes and tomatoes but eggplant seems to have a stronger allure to them.
If you don't have many plants, picking them off may work fine. The controls that the UofK list may be of help. You don't need to go with their listed "Pyrethroids." If you want a more natural insecticide, pyrethrum itself (in combination with rotenone), has worked okay for me. You will probably have to respray the plants soon, however. It probably won't kill the eggs.
Spinosad has, apparently, replaced the Bt spray that has killed them for me in the past. I'll probably try Spinosad this year to see how well it works.
Or, those insects may be something more exotic but, except for the color, they look like potato bugs.
Steve
These were what I was going on about with the availability of bug sprays the other day. Or at least, one of the serious concerns I have for the garden this year and my ability to defend it.
And, they loooove eggplant! Lots of things seem to love eggplants! Flea beetles love eggplant. Tomato horn worms love eggplant. One might think that potato and tomato bugs would prefer potatoes and tomatoes but eggplant seems to have a stronger allure to them.
If you don't have many plants, picking them off may work fine. The controls that the UofK list may be of help. You don't need to go with their listed "Pyrethroids." If you want a more natural insecticide, pyrethrum itself (in combination with rotenone), has worked okay for me. You will probably have to respray the plants soon, however. It probably won't kill the eggs.
Spinosad has, apparently, replaced the Bt spray that has killed them for me in the past. I'll probably try Spinosad this year to see how well it works.
Or, those insects may be something more exotic but, except for the color, they look like potato bugs.
Steve
- Thread starter
- #3
boggybranch
Deeply Rooted
Yea, Steve
That's what's got me "stumped". They're shaped and have spots like the Colorado Potato Beetle (and I've had my share of them around) but they are white...not red. I can find no reference to color variations, at all, in the larvae. Sure would like to get to the "bottom" of this.
That's what's got me "stumped". They're shaped and have spots like the Colorado Potato Beetle (and I've had my share of them around) but they are white...not red. I can find no reference to color variations, at all, in the larvae. Sure would like to get to the "bottom" of this.
- Thread starter
- #4
boggybranch
Deeply Rooted
After taking their picture, I let them go swimming in an empty butter tub half filled with water, since they seemed to be in a partying mood. Well....I guess my mother was right, after all......you should NEVER go swimming right after you've eaten.
PotterWatch
Deeply Rooted
Kim_NC
Attractive To Bees
They do look like some kind of mutant potato bug. Nasty little creatures (do we have a gag smilie? .... 
...oh, that'll do.)
I does seem like everything loves eggplant, even more than it's named host. There must be something especially delicious about eggplant leaves if you're a bug. I typically look at the eggplants first to see if anything has invaded the garden overnight.
...oh, that'll do.)I does seem like everything loves eggplant, even more than it's named host. There must be something especially delicious about eggplant leaves if you're a bug. I typically look at the eggplants first to see if anything has invaded the garden overnight.
Ariel301
Attractive To Bees
Well, that somewhat dims my hope of growing eggplants! It seems I have a pest that eats everything here, and if they ALL like eggplant the best...:/ Maybe I won't pull the plastic covers off the eggplant seedlings EVER, and keep them in their little protective domes for life.Kim_NC said:
