Where are all these "beneficial" insects? I've been under attack all spring/summer. I'm infested with grasshoppers. In May and July I spent literally hours a day squishing Colorado potato beetles on my potatoes. Now I have these one inch long black and tan bug devouring and pooping my potatoes. I found at lease 20 this morning. Also, on my corn tassels I have thousands of little ants. My zucchini woes I posted to an earlier thread called zucchini problems. I've dusted EVERYTHING I'm growing with D.E. and would rather stop growing than use chemicals, but I need some help. Anyone?

Ok...take a deep breath...step away from the Sevin...

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I'm infested with grasshoppers.

Can't offer any advice, but I've seen a lot of grasshoppers or crickets in my garden this year.

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In May and July I spent literally hours a day squishing Colorado potato beetles on my potatoes.

What I figured out was it was quicker to chuck 'em across the gravel driveway. A bucket maybe a quicker way then even squishing.

Next year you may benefit from altering planting dates. I noticed my early May planted taters really got whacked...but so far the later May (early June?) planted ones have shown nearly no CPBs. So next year I think I may try the schedule here: http://ohioline.osu.edu/hyg-fact/2000/2204.html (Ohio is close enough weather wise for me to use)

A lot of gardening, particularly organic, is observing what works in your garden and experimenting a bit -- such as altering planting times. Read the thread about seed saving and how people will select plants that work best in their own micro-climate over time for an example. Remember most of us didn't grow up hanging out with Mom in the garden, having knowledge passed on from generation to generation. So we all have a big learning curve...and even then there's stuff I know is a problem today that *wasn't* an issue when my dad gardened (like Squash Bugs!).

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Now I have these one inch long black and tan bug devouring and pooping my potatoes. I found at lease 20 this morning.

Dunno...

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Also, on my corn tassels I have thousands of little ants.

Not a problem. They're just collecting nectar. Gives 'em power to keep aerating your soil.

HA! Good one about the Sevin. My dad keeps telling me I'll have to use it, but I never will. Thanks for all of the great advise. I really appreciate it and will look into altering the dates.

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step away from the Sevin

I love it!

I think it has been a bad bug year, as well as a bad weed year here, too. I'm waiting for the beneficials to work and also sacrificing some things that seem particularly attractive.

I too have spent hours picking potato beetles at our community garden plot, but none in our home garden. I usually just dump them in a bucket of soapy water. Remember to check for the eggs under the leaves.

On a side note I have found two lady beetles and one lady beetle grub on my plants this year (none last year). I've read that lady beetles leave their eggs on the top of the leaf while Colorado potato beetles deposit their eggs on the underside of the leaf. I can't say for certain but I thought I would pass along the info. Maybe someone else can verify this?

Remember that it takes time and proper habitat to develop a healthy population of beneficial insects.

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I've read that lady beetles leave their eggs on the top of the leaf while Colorado potato beetles deposit their eggs on the underside of the leaf.

Lady Bug eggs are yellow and cylindrical, longwise perpendicular to the leaf and almost always on the underside. Can't really remember if I've seen them on the top ever.

I don't know about CPB eggs, never thought to look for them I encounter Lady Beetle (Bug) eggs frequently though when hunting for Squash Bug eggs...they're bronze and USUALLY under the leaf but I find them on top, sometimes on the stem, and this past week one bug laid the eggs on a tall blade of grass.

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Now I have these one inch long black and tan bug devouring and pooping my potatoes. I found at lease 20 this morning.

1 inch long? I thought Potato Beetle Larvae at first but no way they grow that long, at least 'round these parts.

The coloring does sound right and pooping on potato leaves is what they are all about.... hmmm....

Assuming that you were mistaken about the length, my final answer is Colorado Potato Beetle larvae. Yes that's my final answer and I'm sticking with it.

Do they look like the larve on
this page?

Wayne

And look for the eggs in the underside of the potato leaves. Orange eggs in a cluster. Squish them.

Wayne

First you need to determine whether those insects are actually doing more damage than you can stand and actually need to be controlled. The simple presence of a few insect pests may not mean severe control methods are needed and your need to have some of these pests around to attract the beneficials that will eat them.
Second you need to learn what to use to control the insect pests your have. Diamotaceous Earth may not be the appropriate choice for some insects pests, but you alos want to start any control program with the least toxic material there is and Sevin certainly is not that.
Maybe hand picking/squishing is the best method of control, maybe something more is needed, but in addition to sprays, dusts, etc. what is needed is a good, indepth look at your soil to see if it is as good and healthy as it should be so plants growing there are strong and healthy and can resist these insect pests better.

You can also mulch with oak leaves or make up a spray with the leaves. Potato bugs are repelled by the leaves.

Since we grow our taters on the ground and use oak leaves and straw as a cover, I no longer have a problem with the little pests! Nasty things!

Thanks for all the great info. These new bugs are definitely not larvae of anything. They are full on adult somethings. They look like they can fly, but haven't seen that yet. They did more damage in one day thank the CPB did in weeks. If I can get a picture of them I'll post it. I'm also a little worried about all the little orange eggs I've smashed...hope they weren't lady bug eggs. Thanks for the tip on oak leaves. I get TONS of those!

I have some pictures of the bugs in question. Isn't there a way I can add them to this post? The only thing I see is to create a photo album.

Instructions are under Club OG, the first post (about photos), middle of the first page, posted by Rodale IT Dept.

It may be too late for this year's grasshoppers but you can use a natural product called NOLO Bait early in the season. It works best on the young, small grasshoppers. It is a naturally occuring disease that makes them sick. When they die, other grasshoppers cannabilize them and get sick too. After a few years of use, you will see a decline in the grasshopper population.

Barb's Garden thanks for the tip on posting photos. Here are the bugs that are doing all of the damage. They actually don't look as big in the photos.

Hey goldpearl, I will definitely try the NOLO early next year. How do you know where to apply?

Thanks to all!