Is this little bugger beneficial or not? I find them on my greens. This is not a good picture of him,he wouldn't stay still for a photoshoot. He's about the size of a lady bug. Pastie white beetle, proboscis ( photo / image / picture from Freckles's Garden )
I've seen these guys everywhere. I have never noticed them doing any damage, but I also don't have any veggies they might like.
I have no idea either. If it is an adult of its' species, it might be harmless in which case it is scoping out a place to lay eggs and the larva might be what is harmful.
That looks like a weevil to me. Funny that you show this pic now, as I just last week read an article over the "Sri lankan weevil"(Myllocerus undatus) --I think that it was called. It seems that they escaped or were introduced into Florida and now they are proving to be difficult to control. We have our own weevils here, but not all of them can actually fly. Their best trick to escape me is to just let themselves fall when alarmed by my imposing and aggressive presence. I would advise you to destroy that cute little insect if you ever see him again. I hope that I am wrong about the insect I your pic, but I have a dark feeling about it.
Thank you Sjoerd, I researched the bug and yes that seems to be what it is. Just Great! Florida gardening site says there is no know organic bug killer for this critter, yet...other than putting it in a slab of glue,stuck to the driveway, hiring a crane and dropping a church organ on it, lol. Most people stated they just go out in the morn while it's wings are still damp and knock them into a bucket of water with detergent or neem oil in it.
Update on these bugs: I'm finding more of these white weevils in garden. I dropped one in water, he just swam. Added some dawn detergent; he just swam. Added what was handy, dog shampoo that had neem oil added to it. Bug died! So I really think it was the neem oil that I had added to shampoo.
Glad you got the good answer on this insect. I hope that you can keep up with these in your garden.--Its one of those contests that you can never win because of their vast numbers, but I firmly believe that you can keep them "contained", in the words of Henry Kissenger. Good luck with these little devils.
