eggs on underside of tomato leaves

[brianstjohn]

Hi everyone,

I found something disturbing while I was watering my tomato plant this morning: about 30 or so small, oval eggs which have darkish spots and are slightly orange. Here's what they look like:

[img]https://i190.photobucket.com/albums/z131/brianstjohn/tomato_pred.jpg[/img]

Does anyone recognize what these are? They're in a basement container garden and have ample opportunity to infect all sorts of other plants.

Thanks for your help!

Regards,

Brian

[Kisal]

Nice picture, but I don't have enough knowledge to make a definite ID. They might be aphid eggs. I would just wash them off with water. Be sure to carefully examine all of your plants to make sure they aren't infested, too. While you're at it, you should watch for adult aphids, as well as evidence of chewing or holes in any leaves, just in case these are moth eggs of some sort. Sorry I can't help more.

(runs out back to look underneath all my tomato leaves! )

[brianstjohn]

I grabbed those few leaves which had the unknown items on them, threw them in a jar and now I'm rather relived did; those things I thought were eggs were actually something which was laying eggs:

[img]https://i190.photobucket.com/albums/z131/brianstjohn/bugs.jpg[/img]

now that there's a few million eggs and those suckers are bigger, do they look familiar to anyone? I wonder if the fact that the tomatoes are starting to ripen has something to do with it. My friend also bought this plant fairly grown up from a local nursery before we stuck it downstairs.

[Kisal]

Look like aphids to me.

[brianstjohn]

They don't quite look like aphids to me - my lettuce in the planter out front was unfortunate enough to get an infestation of aphids - something on the order of thousands of them - and these guys don't look like those at all. I pulled up all the lettuce plants and shook them upside down when I gave up the fight against them and hundreds of them came out. These guys are something completely different, unless I'm completely off base and lettuce vs. tomato aphids are pretty dissimilar.

Brian

[WAYNE BODKINS]

After Googling various aphid pix, I am inclined to go with the aphid choice myself.

[brianstjohn]

Hey guys,

The bugs got big enough for me to get a good shot:

[img]https://i190.photobucket.com/albums/z131/brianstjohn/DSC_00050001.jpg[/img]

and the bottom of the jar where they're living now has some sort of a waxy substance on the bottom. I've had some people suggest they might be mealy bugs - strike a chord with anyone?

I really appreciate all the help guys, thank you very much!

Brian

[applestar]

I'm thinking scale insects. Not a normal outdoor garden pest, but common enough houseplant pest. The adults turn rigid after a while and turn into hard brown bumps. Mealy bugs will become covered in white powdery/waxy substance, but if I remember correctly they're related. They are both easier to get off the plant if you catch them before the adults form the protective shells.

It's been a while, but I think I used to use rubbing alcohol dipped in cotton balls or cotton swabs for individuals. Soapy water will work too. Not sure how well this would work with fuzzy/tender leaves like tomato. You might need a soft (like baby) toothbrush. The young'uns will be easier to get off. Making a bowl of soapy water and dipping/swishing/gently scrubbing each leaf might work too.

You might consider ladybugs or spiders as an alternative pest control.

Good luck!

[brianstjohn]

Hi everyone,

An insightful reader on another forum identified the culprit as psyllids:

[url]https://www.coopext.colostate.edu/4DMG/Pests/psyllids.htm[/url]

Not to happy to read: "This insect is very tough to control with anything."

Thank you everyone for your efforts in helping me identify this critter.

Brian

[WAYNE BODKINS]

Hey Brian from Ft Collins! Here's to hoping you get rid of thos critters and noone else gets them

[webmaster]

Every native bug generally has a predator. Seems like there may not be a lot of research done on identifying a predator for the Tomato Psyllid.
Interesting web page about it here https://ceventura.ucdavis.edu/Vegetable_Crops/Tomato_Psyllid.htm

Another web page about potential Colorado predators here:
https://www.colostate.edu/Depts/Entomology/theses/aljabr/thesis.html

Scroll down to the part titled, Tomato Psyllid Control .

[applestar]

Oh great -- a new pest to watch out for Thanks for the info and the link.