What are these things?

What are they and how do I get rid of them? PLEASE! I do not want them to find the new maters!

I keep looking at those thinking I should recognize them, but drawing a blank. They look a little like aphids, but also like some kind of immature plant bug.

They look like either baby ladybugs (the larval stage) or aphids. Seeing an ant in the bottom of the photo makes me think the ants may have a little aphid farm started up. Ants love to raise aphids to get the "honeydew" from them. They will actually pick the aphids up and move them around to different plants. Here are some pictures of ladybug larvae: http://www.uky.edu/Agriculture/Entomology/entfacts/fldcrops/ef105.htm http://www.umaine.edu/umext/cranberries/others/others08-ladybugLarvae.htm http://www.usefilm.com/image/191178.html

Forgot to answer the other part of your question... If they are aphids, a simple solution of dishsoap and water sprayed on the plant will get rid of them. I think the ratio is 1/2 tsp. soap to 1 gal. of water. This should not hurt the plant or your harvest--just be sure to rinse your tomatoes before you eat them or they might taste a little like soap.

Thanks. I could only wish that they were lady bugs but I dont think so. I am going to go out and watch for a while to see if the ants are up to something. The soap spray bottle is getting a workout this year. I have never had so many creepy crawlers as I have had this year. Something has found my new crop of cucumbers too. Its a good thing I have a diswasher because the Dawn is never coming inside again!

Nope, definitely not ladybug larvae (those are my most favored larva of all!).

Lookit the snouts on them things! Ya'll think they could fall in the immature weevil category or something?

Hope you give a couple of these things the chance to grow up, frogs. My curiosity is goin' full blast.

Shoe, if they stay put, they can be the latest science experiment. I will pull out all off the other tomatoes and leave one for them. The minute they start heading south to the new tomato patch, they are history though. Ugly rascals aren't they?

ten four on that! Ugly! (wonder what they taste like...could you try one? Please?) :>)

( I know I know...I'm pushin' it, eh?)

I will send you some. Ya want em teriyaki or bar-B-que?

Found them. http://davesgarden.com/t/397976/

ROTFLOL, frog! Let me know how they are, Shoe :~}

I forget the name, but it's definitely the immature form of the green triangular shaped bugs. Ants protect them. They love tomatoes, eggplant, jasmine, and peppers. I kill them with a soap spray but you have to go after them almost daily. When I find an adult I slowly pick it up, so it doesn't hop away, and then step on it. I don't think sprays affect the adults much.

*Gulp!* :>~

Hey Shoe, How do you feel about curried treehopper?

ROTFLOL, Shoe! You sho' do know how ta crack a girl up! :P

You say the nicest thangs, Butterfly! ;>)

Frogs...I'll try anything curried, except a horse. (I've a fear of horses, ya know.)

Just 'cause they step on you all of the time? Occupational hazard. You need a new line of work. I used to be afeared of roosters because we had a MEAN one when I was a kid. Never occurred to me to be afraid of the chickens too. lol. It was an occassion when that ole boy got his neck wrung in the spring after we were assured of new roosters. Cicken and dumplings never tasted so gooood.

Ahh yess...ain't nuttin' like chicken and dumplings (sometimes referred to around here as "chicken slicks". Yumm!)

My favorite horse story:

My DD knew I was afraid of horses. I knew I was! But one day, there was a horse, saddled and ready. DD said "Dad, face your fears."

I jumped up on that horse and, believe it or not, it was comfortable in the saddle. I was just settling in when all of a sudden that horse started jumping up and down! back and forth! I was hangin on for dear life! Next thing I knew I was thrown off! And, and, just like in a Hollywood movie, my foot was caught in the stirrup! I was hung up! As that horse continued to jump up and down, back and forth, all I could see was its back legs, right near my head!

As I was about to lose consciousness and give up, a bystander saw what was happening! Fortunately for me, she had the good sense to go inside the Wal-mart, get the manager, and he came out and un-plugged the machine!

Wheww...scary! Scary!

Got me!

Anybody with any sense would be afraid of those horses. They eat metal for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Only a for sure crazy horse would do that.

Shoe, you had me going there!

How's the exterminatin' comin', frogs??? Any treehoppers left in San Diego?

Shoe!!! Ya devil!!

Ye got me a beauty there :-D

What is it you always say? "You ain't right!!!"


Wintermoor

I sprayed the things and these tomatoes are going in the trash this weekend, No composter for these vines.
The numbers are down this AM but it looks like something that would take awhile unless you remove the plants. It says to keep the ants away from your plants but exactly how wone would accomplish this is beyond me. Build them condos or what? What a year we have had for bugs. Butterflygardnr, I thought your neck of the wood was supposed to have the corner of the market on creepy crawlers. I live in the desert for pete's sake.

Well, at least I know how Iam going to spend Saturday. In the garden, how unusual.

Howdy Wintermoor! Glad I had your attention! And yep, I ain't right! ;>)

Froggy, to keep ants off your plants, sprinkle around the base with wood ash, they don't like that stuff! If none is available then after spraying the bugs off the plants then maybe put some vaseline on the trunk of the plant (and the mater stake or cages).

Check it out...it is what I thought it was. A Buffalo Leaf Hopper. The adult is a beautiful green with a spike on each side of the front toward the face. They move sideways around the stem and hop away fast and don't return until you are gone. I have also seen ants by them.

I couldn't find one with any search, but then again I found lots of pages that were gone already.

I took the bug and larve to my local nursery and this is the name they told me. They are hard to kill. I used safer soap and used gloves to catch the adults and destroy them. (the spines are sharp)

I had them while I lived on the coast, but have not had them here. Good luck!

Oh my gosh! The old vaseline on the doorknob trick gone to the garden. LOL. Mayhaps I will put mineral oil in my water sprayer and pump it onto the maters. DH will be sure I have gone round the bend when I start massaging the tomatoe cages with vaseline. Fortunately it is a short trip.

Jul, these things do not move. You can go out and harvest them. Yuck! DD went out and harvested some for Shoe until I told her that I really was kidding about sending him some. I am glad that these tomatoes are done so that I can get rid of them without any tears. That is the first thing on the agenda tomorrow.

I am going to amend tha soil in that area. Should I put anything in it while I am tilling to get rid of any residual nasties?

Frog, we sure have plenty of the creepy crawlers around here. I offered someone in DG "bugs for postage"--useful bugs, like the palmetto bugs which you can saddle up and ride. You interested, Shoe? Only problem is you can't unplug these guys!

I might have to try the wood ash and vaseline trick for ants. I still have wood ash in my fireplace from last winter that I need to clean out. We've got carpenter ants all over the place. I wouldn't care too much, except that they LOVE my Cassia alata, which is SUPPOSED to be my larval plant for sulfur butterflies. Only problem is, as soon as the b'flies lay their eggs, the ants eat them!!! I think I will have to try this to see if it works.

I sure do preshate ya'll concern about my dietary needs! Ya'll are so wunderful! Luv ya!

Butterfly, I'm familiar w/palmetto bugs. Huge suckers! I once threw a Big Mac against the wall of my apt in Fla at some! (Followed up with the milk shake!) When the police came....well, never mind.

Anyway, them things can sure wake you up from a stupor!

Did you see the adults? They are green and look like leaves that are a triangle.

The little black spiny ones do not move. When I find some info on them I will send you something.

What ever they are, I hope you don't have them next year.

Take Care, Jul

Jul, look above at the hyperlink. I found them. The tomatoes are now in the trash and I am watching the new maters and other vegetables like a hawk now. I have never had so many bugs. You should see the cucumbers! GACK! I plant with bugs in mind but they are geting more than their fair share of the profits.

Geez, Shoe! That was a waste of a good burger and shake, not to mention a big mess to clean up. All you need is a good saddle and a little gumption--ride'm cowboy!

hah!... I hear ya, butterfly! (Actually, I left the Country the next day, and someone else had to clean up the mess. I think the FBI took samples of the wall splatter...am wondering to this day what they came up with!)


While driving to my daughter's Godmother's house today, one of them bugs was in the truck, on DD! I knew to tell her exactly what it was! Ain't life weird? (And wunnerful!)

So you told your DD to go get the saddle, right? ;P

Head 'em up! Move 'em out!

I took out the tomatoes and as of this morning the dag nabbit ants are herding these things up the pepper plants. Just a few hoppers to be seen and lots of little larva. I have never seen a year like this for bugs. I have to do a daily brug check for caterpillars. I think the hornworms are beaming in from another planet. I usually do not bother ants if they stay outside and not in my house but I may have to rethink my position if they are going to raise treehoppers!

A good solution for ants that is non toxic is boiling water with really hot chilis mixed in. Put the mashed chilis in just before pouring down the ant hole. Or just spray the plant with chili juice. But careful cooking those hot things, even the steam can make your eyes water!!!