toni
 Administrator
Plants Moderator
Regular Plants Contributor
North Texas, Zone 8a
Posts: 11251
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| Posted: Mon Oct 27, 2008 1:58 pm Post subject: Green with black spots, pest or friend? |
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The purple Cosmos I shared a picture of the other day is being eaten alive  Both blooms have one of these little critters munching away on them.
I have done a search, not a real thorough one because my time is limited lately. But was hoping that someone here would know off the top of their head what this one is and whether I need to get rid of it.
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playtime8978
blackpool england
Posts: 471
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| Posted: Mon Oct 27, 2008 2:51 pm Post subject: |
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it appears to be a Diabrotica undecimpunctata according to the following web site http://bugguide.net/node/view/155258 its coomon name is spotted cucumber beetle, I hope this helps
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toni
Administrator
Plants Moderator
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North Texas, Zone 8a
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| Posted: Mon Oct 27, 2008 3:07 pm Post subject: |
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Yep, that's it. Thanks much!!
Guess cucumbers aren't the only things they like to munch on. I think I need tocatch them in baggies and toss them in the trash. It appears they could cause me some troubles in the spring too that I will have to watch out for.
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playtime8978
blackpool england
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| Posted: Mon Oct 27, 2008 3:39 pm Post subject: |
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Glad we managed to find out what the little horror was, I dont think I would like them in my garden, good luck getting rid of them, I hope they do not do much more damage.
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There can be no other occupation like gardening in which, if you were to creep up behind someone at their work, you would find them smiling. ~Mirabel Osler
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kuntrygal
Texas ~ Zone 8
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| Posted: Mon Oct 27, 2008 4:10 pm Post subject: |
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By all means, Toni, kill them!!! Hope they aren't full of babies! They are uggglleee!!!
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Stephinalta
Altamonte Springs, Fla.
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| Posted: Mon Oct 27, 2008 7:02 pm Post subject: |
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I kinda thought it was pretty, as far as bugs go.
now, the american cockroach, thats an ugly bug.
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eileen
Forum Moderator
Scotland
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| Posted: Mon Oct 27, 2008 8:31 pm Post subject: |
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Your poor cosmos Toni!! I hope you manage to collect all those nasties before they do any more damage.
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Droopy
Regular Plants Contributor
Western Norway
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| Posted: Mon Oct 27, 2008 9:05 pm Post subject: |
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I got a tip from a long-time gardener on how to get rid of beetles in the blooms. One box of General snuff in one liter of water, leave for 24 hours, strain and spray. I'm going to test this on the lily beetles in spring.
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Palm Tree
Cape Town
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| Posted: Tue Oct 28, 2008 7:23 am Post subject: |
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And if you do not have snuff - go ultra cheap - do not buy it especially - I was told that one can also use the cigarette buts that people toss away after they smoked - take the tobacco parts and put in in water - then follow much the same path as Droopy explained.
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toni
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North Texas, Zone 8a
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| Posted: Tue Oct 28, 2008 1:20 pm Post subject: |
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Thanks for the tips. I caught two of them in baggies, more of the blooms have opened so I will be checking them frequently for more beetles.
Randy has a cigar when we sit out back in the late afternoons so I have a can full of cigar stubs out back that I am going to use for the spray. I wonder what damage, if any, the soaked cigar 'mush' that's left after straining off the tobacco tea will do to the plants if I pour that round the base of the plants. Those beetles lay eggs in the ground at the base of the plants they are feeding on, that might kill the eggs/larvae too wouldn't it?
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Droopy
Regular Plants Contributor
Western Norway
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| Posted: Tue Oct 28, 2008 4:08 pm Post subject: |
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I don't know about the larvae, Toni, since the chap didn't say and my friend forgot to ask.  But I guess some ant powder on the ground would do a lot of good. I know the lily beetle larvae like that stuff, so I walk around with that little bottle and put ant powder just about everywhere.
(And I have typed "aunt" several times, maybe I ought to sit down quietly and wait for my brain to start functioning again.)
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