thousands of little black shiny bugs

Watch Reply
More
Mark unread Print Skip to new
sameasalways Travis AFB, CA(Zone 9a) Aug 13, 2001

what are they?? I'm sorry I am so new to this gardening thing. Its almost fall now and my garden is covered in thse ugly disgusting thousands of little tiny black shiny pear shaped bugs w/no wings. They are very shiny and little and clustered and ants are also all over them..the plants w/the black shiny bugs. So far my strawberries and green beans are totally infested but these bugs seem to be leaving my tomatoe plants alone. Same w/my zuchini plant. I thought they were aphids but now i find out that aphids are green ..so what can I buy to kill these bugs before they kill all my new string beans?

Post #10729
Quote
sameasalways Travis AFB, CA(Zone 9a) Aug 14, 2001

Hi I noticed some of the bugs are brownish grey too so I don't know hwy some are black. They seem to be laying tiny tiny eggs all over too and maybe the ants are eating them? I did see a bug on an egg w;wings that was very little too but not as little as the shiny black bugs. I am so confused.

Post #110311
Quote
marshseed Santa Barbara, CA Aug 15, 2001

You have me wondering too. Do the bugs stay still other than wiggling their hind ends or do they hop? Flea beetles are roundish, shiny black, hop when disturbed and tend to infest the lowest leaves of plants.

Aphids come in all sorts of colors from near white, gold, brown, green, violet, black. The aphids have different shapes as they pass through different life stages but they rarely lay eggs since they are born pregnant and give live births. When the leaf or stem gets too crowded, some of the mature aphid will become winged and will fly off to infest another part of the plant or others.

The eggs could be those of predators which are attracted to a good food supply, mate and lay eggs among the aphid.

Unless you see the ants carting of the bugs or eggs, they are likely honeydew collectors, herding and protection for the drops of "honey" extruded by the aphids.

Excessive honeydew on leaf surfaces will come to support a dark gray to black fungus feeding on the sugar. The fungus is relatively harmless, mostly cosmetic, but can interfere with photosynthesis and air exchange in the leaf.

Post #110568
Quote
donsproduce (Zone 6a) Sep 17, 2001

sounds like aphids, for a quick fix to start, use a stong force of water from a hose to wash the pests off, not so strong to harm the plant.
there are a lot of sprays on the market for aphids, organic, & other wise.
there will be eggs hatching daily, so you need to repeat the spray for 7-10 days.
spraying does work, you just need to stay on top of them.
good luck.
Don

Post #128710
Quote
Byron Lyndeborough, NH Sep 17, 2001

There is a bug known as Negro Bug. might be this one.


Byron

Post #128998
Quote

Post a Reply to this Thread

Please or sign up to post.
Back to Forum Homepage

More Garden Pests and Diseases Threads

Go to all Garden Pests and Diseases threads
BACK TO TOP