CherA
Full Member
Posts: 42
Joined: Mon Aug 02, 2010 2:19 pm
Location: Chelsea-Revere-Everett

asparagus orange bugs at night

Hello,
I was reading about worms on some of peoples asparagus plants and how different folks go about trimming them etc etc. Well I had never seen any worms but when I took the dog out tonight in the mostly dark yard, we walked by the saparagus which is about 5.5 feet tall now...only about 3 plants left out of many I had planted..and still no asparagaus after threer years...none to speak of that is..but I did find many oval orange bugs. They aer kind of like the ones that eat my lilys, the awful ratheads!!! I detest those things.
I have no idea what they are and if anyone else has seen them in this area. I;m on the northshore on MAssachusettes fairly cloes to the ocean but not on it...maybe 5 mins away. Are they a usual occurance and can yo get rid of them organically? Easily? permanently? LOL Actually any info would be of help. Thakns much in advance.
I wonder if they are realted to the beetles on the lily plants which came back for a second feasting this summer..they aer a bit larger nd redder but these orange things look like beetles as well..I got threer or four in a kleenex I had with me and tossed them in the barrel. I think I squished them first. Hope that was ok. Boy the moer I grow the more bugs I find of all kinds!! Cher

garden5
Super Green Thumb
Posts: 3062
Joined: Fri Aug 07, 2009 5:40 pm
Location: ohio

Well, you wouldn't seen any asparagus spears this time of year, anyway, they are a early-spring crop.

[url=https://www.extension.umn.edu/distribution/horticulture/M1199.html]Here[/url] is a good resource on asparagus beetles. Do these look like what you have?

CherA
Full Member
Posts: 42
Joined: Mon Aug 02, 2010 2:19 pm
Location: Chelsea-Revere-Everett

Gee, have you ever had these? Are they new to the area (Boston new EWngland) or old timers for asparagus?) I will read thoroughly that info just am busy right now. Multitasking is not the word for it. What can you do.
I am so anziuos to determine what to do about them asap so that I might take steps today this afternon preferably when it is cooler if it turns out to be the right time of year.
I saw them at night so they appeard only solid orange. Perhaps I didn't see the dots or black markings, but they did have black on them at the heads etc. So I would say if they aer not the same they aer close enough. Thanks so much for that info. I wonder if you've had experience with them or you dug that up for me? Thakn you so much in any event. I like to hear peoples experiences, so if you have had success or failure I;d be interested in hearing.
Boy trying to keep an organic garden is not easy..I look forward to reading these articles and also to figuring out how to get rid of teh buggers...oh the life cycle of bugs. Who thought it would impact out lives so much when we first learned about these things in school so many years ago? I am a pre med grad and studied zoology as well so did study many different species. I understadn teh life cycles etc but it is no less fun to deal with them. LOL
Thanks again, Cher who hopes to deal with thees guys today.

CherA
Full Member
Posts: 42
Joined: Mon Aug 02, 2010 2:19 pm
Location: Chelsea-Revere-Everett

Hi again, Read in teh article that some orange beetles can be like lady bugs which is wht they appeared to be at first glance...I will take a look in the daylight and see what the story is. I do see brown eggs that it described tho . Befoer I go killing anything I better be certain it is detrimental and not beneficial or at least not harmful.
They were a good quarter of an inch, but seemed light orange, yellowy orange, not deep orange or reddish orange. I'll take another look see and let you know because I;ve not found other beetles on the web. Either they aer or aren't these type; it says it does matter. Shows what I know. Cher

garden5
Super Green Thumb
Posts: 3062
Joined: Fri Aug 07, 2009 5:40 pm
Location: ohio

Well, I can't help you when it comes to personal experience, I'm not an asparagus grower myself...yet 8).


If you identify this bug as your pest, You could probably dig up more info online, but hopefully some members with more personal experiences will lend some of their insights.



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