Bugs are eating my Bell Pepper plants! HELP!

[rainbowgardener]

Earwigs are a mixed blessing in the garden. See jal-ut's post here:

http://www.helpfulgardener.com/forum/v ... 880#194880

But I'd be surprised if the earwigs were creating that extensive of damage to your pepper plants, unless you have 100's of them. When I've found earwigs in my garden, I've usually only found one or two (maybe there were a lot more I didn't find, I don't know) and there was no visible damage to the plant I found them on.

[PunkRotten]

I planted a new Pepper plant and went and checked the plant right now tonight and I seen earwigs all over it and the plant has holes everywhere just like the ones pictured. As far as the previous damaged peppers they don't seem to be bugging them anymore. I wish I would of set a trap by the new plant, but too late now.

[swimmer3333]

I'm still not sure. The slugs eat my pepper plants and I never see slime trails (it may be more snails that leave those). I rarely see the slugs, but I know that's what does it, because a couple times I have opened up peppers and found slugs inside them (euww, euww).

Not sure what the pincher bug is, some kind of beetle? But the roly-poly's are detritovores, they only eat dead stuff, so they are not what is bothering your peppers. You could try dusting the pepper plants and the ground around them with diatomaceous earth and see if that stops the problem.

Did the DE help? I have the same problem.

[Leetchi]

I have found a wonderful natural recipe to keep bugs away frommy vegetable garden and I'll share here.

Mix together
1tablespoon of dish soap
1 cup of fresh cooking oil
Mix well.

When you want to use it, add 4 teaspoons of mixture to 1 pint of water into a spray bottle and drench your plants regularly especially after rain. (Keep concentrated mixture in a tightly closed container in a cool place until you use it)

Bell peppers also love Epsom salts which slugs do not. I make a mixture of Epsom salts with water and liberally spray at the bottom of my bell peppers and tomatoes with the spray.

Hope this helps

[imafan26]

Put out slug bait, it won't hurt. It is easier to look for slugs and snails early in the morning or after dark.
The tomato has spots. I think it would be better to pull it. Fungal and bacterial disease can be seed transmitted but are very hard to control.