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Black bugs and white leaves. What are they?

Posted: Fri Aug 05, 2016 12:56 pm
by Marixa
Hi everyone. Can anyone tell me what are the insects on the picture? It's the first time I see them on my plants and they don't seem very nice :?

Thanks!

Re: Black bugs and white leaves. What are they?

Posted: Fri Aug 05, 2016 7:32 pm
by rainbowgardener
flea beetles.

Diatomaceous earth is my go to pest control for many crawling things including lots of different beetles. It is not a poison, it is the shells of diatoms, tiny marine creatures. On a microscopic level, they are very sharp like bits of glass. To us macroscopic humans, it just feels like soft powder, though you wouldn't want to breathe too much of it in to your lungs. You don't know it, but you have eaten it, because grains stored in silos are treated with it to keep weevils out.

Re: Black bugs and white leaves. What are they?

Posted: Sun Aug 07, 2016 9:48 pm
by Marixa
Ok thanks. Do they spread to nearby plants (other species) or do they tend to stay on the same plant species?

Re: Black bugs and white leaves. What are they?

Posted: Mon Aug 08, 2016 8:20 am
by rainbowgardener
They spread and will eat many different kinds of plants.

As pests go, they are far from the worst. Plants can tolerate a whole lot of those little pinholes without being seriously bothered.

Re: Black bugs and white leaves. What are they?

Posted: Mon Aug 08, 2016 8:26 am
by applestar
They do like solanacea -- yours are tomatillos?

Look at my poor neglected eggplants :( :oops:
image.jpeg

Re: Black bugs and white leaves. What are they?

Posted: Mon Aug 08, 2016 12:42 pm
by Marixa
They are ground cherries. It's a little seedling I put with my flowers because I didn't feel like tossing it after planting the good ones in the garden. I may get like 5 fruits from it haha

It doesn't seem your eggplants have the same pests on them - do they?

Re: Black bugs and white leaves. What are they?

Posted: Mon Aug 08, 2016 12:44 pm
by Marixa
rainbowgardener wrote:They spread and will eat many different kinds of plants.

As pests go, they are far from the worst. Plants can tolerate a whole lot of those little pinholes without being seriously bothered.
Oh well, ok then. I don't think I'll bother doing something. They don't seem to be interested in what's around for now.