These bugs love my zucchini plant, and as you can see is shredding the leaves to their stems. Any idea what they're called and how to get rid of them chemical-free? (I'm assuming they're non-beneficial)
[url=https://img545.imageshack.us/I/bugorangeblk.jpg/][img]https://img545.imageshack.us/img545/3246/bugorangeblk.th.jpg[/img][/url]
here's a closer pic:
[url=https://img42.imageshack.us/I/bugorangeblk2.jpg/][img]https://img42.imageshack.us/img42/9351/bugorangeblk2.th.jpg[/img][/url]
This next bug I call a "hoverbug" as it likes hovering above my plants. Not usually doing anything in particular. They look like wasps but make no sound. I caught this one actually resting on a cucumber leaf. Good/bad?
[url=https://img42.imageshack.us/I/bughoverbug.jpg/][img]https://img42.imageshack.us/img42/9890/bughoverbug.th.jpg[/img][/url]
This next one is on my lemongrass, and the only one of its kind I've spotted so far. It didn't seem to be doing anything, but just in case:
[url=https://img835.imageshack.us/I/bugorangebeet.jpg/][img]https://img835.imageshack.us/img835/4382/bugorangebeet.th.jpg[/img][/url]
And this final one is a curious creature indeed. Any ideas? I think it's probably non-beneficial, as it's doing quite a bit of damage to my pumpkin leaf (yes I know I have powdery mildew):
[url=https://img844.imageshack.us/I/bugyellopuff.jpg/][img]https://img844.imageshack.us/img844/7149/bugyellopuff.th.jpg[/img][/url]
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Troppofoodgardener
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Pictures #1 and #2 are Pumpkin beetles (Aulacophora hilaris)
Picture #3 is a hover fly ... not a bee. It looks like the Common Hover Fly (Ischiodon scutellaris) to me, but I'm not sure how many different species you have in your country.
I can't find an ID for the insect in picture #4. I'll keep looking for awhile, but perhaps someone else will recognize it right off.
The last picture looks like the larva of the 28-spotted Potato Ladybird beetle (Epilachna vigintioctopunctata)
Picture #3 is a hover fly ... not a bee. It looks like the Common Hover Fly (Ischiodon scutellaris) to me, but I'm not sure how many different species you have in your country.
I can't find an ID for the insect in picture #4. I'll keep looking for awhile, but perhaps someone else will recognize it right off.
The last picture looks like the larva of the 28-spotted Potato Ladybird beetle (Epilachna vigintioctopunctata)
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Troppofoodgardener
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Thanks kisal! Pumpkin beetles are EVERYWHERE in my garden.. how does one get rid of them? the usual chilli & garlic spray? Or white oil?
What about hoverflies? do they eat/damage plants in any way?
Pic #4 apparently is a very common tropical bug.. have no idea of the name or if it's a pest or goodie.
You could be right about the last pic as well.. 28-spotted ladybirds are quite common in my garden, so I can almost bet these are their larvae - yuck. I know 28-spotteds are a pest for sure... How do I keep them at bay?
Thanks for the great id-work
What about hoverflies? do they eat/damage plants in any way?
Pic #4 apparently is a very common tropical bug.. have no idea of the name or if it's a pest or goodie.
You could be right about the last pic as well.. 28-spotted ladybirds are quite common in my garden, so I can almost bet these are their larvae - yuck. I know 28-spotteds are a pest for sure... How do I keep them at bay?
Thanks for the great id-work
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LindsayArthurRTR
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LindsayArthurRTR
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applestar
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#4 looks a lot like the Milkweed bug I see around my garden. The adults don't seem to do much damage all season, but when the milkweed develop seedpods, their young cluster on the seedpods and suck the developing seeds dry through the wall of the pods so that the seeds become non-viable.
Hoverflies in my garden are beneficial, mostly using aphids and other small sucking insects for their youngs' food source. Where there are hover flies, there may also be tiny predatory wasps like that also attack aphids and pest caterpillars
The adults are attracted and nectars on small flower clusters like cilantro, dill, alyssum, etc.
Hoverflies in my garden are beneficial, mostly using aphids and other small sucking insects for their youngs' food source. Where there are hover flies, there may also be tiny predatory wasps like that also attack aphids and pest caterpillars
The adults are attracted and nectars on small flower clusters like cilantro, dill, alyssum, etc.-
rainbowgardener
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) they were harmless, so I haven't done anything about them. But that may explain why the milkweed isn't spreading very fast!-
applestar
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Sure! 
This is OT, and I should really post elsewhere, but I'm collecting my milkweed seeds this year because Monarchwatch is calling for seeds for milkweed restoration project:
https://www.monarchwatch.org/forums/viewtopic.php?f=15&t=2400
Here's how to collect them if you're interested, as well as my source of info re: milkweed bug:
https://www.monarchwatch.org/forums/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=2509
I don't remember if this link was mentioned in that thread:
https://www.mymonarchguide.com/2007/07/what-is-seed-pod-how-can-I-collect.html
I use a gallon zip bag instead of a cup, and keep moving them from one bag to the next until all the seeds are removed. We are going to use the collected floss for our craft projects along with the cotton wool harvested from our cotton.
This is OT, and I should really post elsewhere, but I'm collecting my milkweed seeds this year because Monarchwatch is calling for seeds for milkweed restoration project:
https://www.monarchwatch.org/forums/viewtopic.php?f=15&t=2400
Here's how to collect them if you're interested, as well as my source of info re: milkweed bug
:https://www.monarchwatch.org/forums/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=2509
I don't remember if this link was mentioned in that thread:
https://www.mymonarchguide.com/2007/07/what-is-seed-pod-how-can-I-collect.html
I use a gallon zip bag instead of a cup, and keep moving them from one bag to the next until all the seeds are removed. We are going to use the collected floss for our craft projects along with the cotton wool harvested from our cotton.
I disagree that the insect in Picture #4 is an assassin bug. I believe it to be a Pale Cotton Stainer bug (Dysdercus sidae). There is some information about these bugs [url=https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&q=cache:wVftBwoPaLoJ:www.cottoncrc.org.au/files/0b8ff5f6-38c5-44b8-bb7b-9a5400d35b02/Pale%2520Cotton%2520Stainer%2520.pdf+does+Dysdercus+sidae+damage+plants&hl=en&gl=us&pid=bl&srcid=ADGEESjip-rQk7yqLPMa_bd4OW6QVTzLxLdhiu_0QHRFypkW6LpsjQF3LonK_MHovxWXy5utKpnrzwLNvJdRYJImcKfSt7gW6NlWtM3hNWSi_MWKLHEhTSKQx5sfstG9WCEm1GmkGW3N&sig=AHIEtbQmklKLHk0D1d41lZzVK_PN1VEtwQ]here[/url].
[img]https://www.brisbaneinsects.com/brisbane_lygaeoidbugs/images/DSCN0118.jpg[/img]
[img]https://www.brisbaneinsects.com/brisbane_lygaeoidbugs/images/DSCN0118.jpg[/img]
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Troppofoodgardener
- Senior Member
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- Joined: Fri Oct 01, 2010 10:49 pm
- Location: Tropical North, Australia
been doing a bit of net research on bugs.. and I too am leaning on Kisal's verdict. The two look quite similar.. but the cotton stainer has the white collar around its head that the assassin lacks. I wish I had some assassin bugs though. they sound quite handy!
The cotton stainer must have been doing some reconnaissance for cotton plants.. but seeing that I didn't have any, it flew away. Haven't seen any since that day.
As there wasn't much feedback on how to get rid of pumpkin beetles or 28-spotted ladybirds, and seeing the damage they're wreaking on my zucchini, I took matters into my own hands. I used a large, transparent polyethylene bag as a 'net' and held it above the bug-affected leaf/leaves. then quickly bringing the bag downwards, tighten the lip of the bag around the leaf and shake plant gently. As the insects fly off, they're caught in the bag. Get as much air out of the bag as possible (without insects escaping) and place on a hard surface and whack away! Flip-flops (we call them thongs in Australia) usually work well.
The cotton stainer must have been doing some reconnaissance for cotton plants.. but seeing that I didn't have any, it flew away. Haven't seen any since that day.
As there wasn't much feedback on how to get rid of pumpkin beetles or 28-spotted ladybirds, and seeing the damage they're wreaking on my zucchini, I took matters into my own hands. I used a large, transparent polyethylene bag as a 'net' and held it above the bug-affected leaf/leaves. then quickly bringing the bag downwards, tighten the lip of the bag around the leaf and shake plant gently. As the insects fly off, they're caught in the bag. Get as much air out of the bag as possible (without insects escaping) and place on a hard surface and whack away! Flip-flops (we call them thongs in Australia) usually work well.
