This bug is not found anywhere in any pics and it seems to love my yard, it flies around when you swat it, it is really huge and I am not sure if it's a bad bug or good bug; but suspect it's a bad sap sucking bug from the looks of my pitiful plants these days. My camera is not the greatest, so, you will have to squint to see the lil bugger; but please let me know if malathian will kill this sucker? And if you know what it's name is please inform me. There are about 4 pics in all I think:
Here is another view, at a different angle:
Well, that one didn't work, maybe this one will:
Looks like a stink bug......easily found on google
That huge? Most the stink bugs I've seen don't look that big this one looks like it has pinchers, is it a bad bug? Is it the reason I don't have horned catepillars, as I saw a stink bug on google that was eating a catepillar a furry one? Will malathian kill it? Do I want it dead?
joy
Oh yeah, it's a stink bug...we've stopped growing 'maters because the little buggers seem to be drawn to 'em...they look kinda prehistoric...we've had some luck with 5% Sevin dust.
Well, I'm hopeful that it doesn't shower tomorrow sprayed the leaves underside and above and the stems and the grass and everything vegetation wise in the back yard. I hope it has time to work before we get another thunderstorm or shower. Will treat again in 10 days weather permitting hopefully.
joy
I'm with you Joy...just dusted our Daturas and Brugmansia...and not even 20 minutes later it started raining hard! I love the Gulf Coast, but sometimes I could do with more evenly spaced rain...
Two willies: Well, I don't think we got too heavy a rainfall after I sprayed and hope it has time to work before we get more rain. LOL I found a frog in my back yard, how did he get in through my privacy fence I wonder? I also found these white mushrooms growing, huge ones, what causes that, any need for concern here on my part? I talked with my handy man and he has agreed to build me a cage for my veggies in EBs on tables and the two 4 armed stands for only $100 labor costs. My backyard has become an obstacle course for him to mow and I want to organize it up a bit. If I get all the veggies together on the 4 tables, and the stands and put plywood down and then put the cage around that, that should make it easier on him and me in the long run. It's so much easier for him to use the riding mower instead of the gas push one. He doesn't mind; but, it's too hot for anyone to use a push gas mower on two lots I think.
joy
Ugh, we get frogs in our greenhouses...annoying little buggers...they usually pick a 3.5" pot and push the plant out so then can make a little nesting spot...then, of course, the guard pups (AKA "The Barking Idiots") head in and trample everything trying to get to the frogs.
We've started sprinkling red pepper on our plants that tend to attact bunnies, squirrels and mice...has worked wonders and easier than building cages...but not much help against the stinkbugs tho.
Make sure it's a Stinkbug you're squishing, and NOT an adult Assassin bug, which is a beneficial! The Assassin bug will ususally be found traveling alone, while the Stinkbugs travel in herds.
The major difference: The Stinkbug has those two "leaves" on its hind legs, and the Assassin bug does NOT.
Kill the right predator!
Whoa Gymgirl, excellent point, thank you, I didn't even consider that!
They are also called leaf-footed bugs. They begin as bright orange spider-like nymphs. Look real pretty. They are easy to crush when that size.
Most insecticides are only marginally effective. And, once they become adults, they fly. I sprayed an adult with Ortho-Max - full force in the face and body - took off and flew to my front yard - nearly 150 feet away.
Now I watch my tomatos daily and crush every one I can find.
They are also quick and sneeky, so will hide behind the fruit, stems, leaves, etc.
Very hard to catch an adult to crush it.
They make ugly spots on the toms. too.
They stick their long needle noses into the toms, and everywhere they do makes a hard patchy spot.
The Assassin Bug nymphs do NOT have the black dot on their butts like the Stinkbug nymphs do. Otherwise, they look much the same.
So, "butt dots are blots!" That oughtta keep it straight for 'yah.
And don't go blotting out those frogs too hastily, either. They serve a purpose in keeping your standing water mosquito population down! (Or your neighbors' standing water, if you think you've got all yours covered...)
They're a very necessary part of the ecosystem.
I have never seen a frog near our place, but we have several families of toads. Fun to watch then grow from tiny 1 inchers into 3+ inchers every year. Plenty of bugs for them to harvest. Just have to change the cat & dog water bowls - oh sorry - toad swimming ponds, every day.
Since the nymphs can't fly, I find that the "pop and mash method" is extremely effective in erradicating them.
Simply pop! that tomato and the Stinkbug Nymphs will fall off. Then, using the latex-encased, five-digit extremity, mash them into Never-Neverland with the palm.
Very effective.
Gymgirl, my frog is dead, they are very sensitive to poisons and the malathian killed it; but it did the other bugs too, which is good.
joy
Joy, we've got more than a few frogs...I'd be happy to box a few up and send 'em to you, but I'm afraid they might not do so well in the postal system...
Two Willies: That's ok, the malathian did the trick. My melons have started growing; but they are all mushy from the rain, so, I've given up on melons this summer. I did excitedly put together my 5 new EBs that arrived today, I got the green ones this time. I want to get 5 more; but will have to wait a few more months.
joy
EBs?
Earthboxes. They are the greatest, I want 5 more; but, will have to get those later on.
joy
LOL, gotcha, sorry, my mind just went blank on that one...
