Very small (about the size of a pin head) black bugs are working their way through the leaves of my once very healthy eggplants and are moving over to my potatoes.

Anybody know what these are and how I can safely attempt to get rid of them?

Sounds like flea beetles. If you put your finger near them, do they hop?

You can use a garlic spray, or sprinkle wood ash on damp plants, pyrethrin dust. They don't like shade or dampness. I have grown tomatoes under the lightest weight row cover fabric and essentially "hidden" them from pests, and the tomatoes did just fine.

Eggplant
Michael Franks


Whenever I explore the land of Yen
I always take one on the chin
And now this lioness has almost made me tame.
I can't pronounce her name but Eggplant is her game.

The lady sticks to me like white on rice.
She never cooks the same way twice.
Maybe it's the mushrooms. Maybe the tomatoes.
I can't reveal her name but Eggplant is her game.

When my baby cooks her Eggplant,
She don't read no book.
She's got a Giocanna kinda of dirty look

And my baby cooks her Eggplant,
Bout 19 different ways.
Sometimes I just have it raw with Mayonnaise.

Maybe its the way she grates her cheese,
Or just the freckles on her knees.
Maybe its the scallions. Maybe she's Italian.
I can't reveal her name but Eggplant is her game.

When my baby cooks her Eggplant,
She don't read no book.
She's got a Giocanna kinda of dirty look.

And my baby cooks her Eggplant,
Bout 19 different ways.
Sometimes I just have it raw with Mayonnaise.

Does she have popsicle toes???? :^O

Work faast on this one because flea beetles can wipe out eggplant seedlings while your back is turned. I use Safer's soap, and go after them every day until they're gone.

Oh, and I doubt they'll hurt your potatoes. Potato beetles are the usual culprit there, and you'll see them around. We hill our potatoes up with leaves and straw, and never have a problem with the beetles.

Yes, I believe she does! Would it be my job to warm them up???? B-)