What was everyone's worst bug this summer?

I actually thought the tomato horn worm was my worst arch enemy; but he has moved down to place number 4 after this season. My worst enemy is the stink bug, second to that is the aphid, third to that is the ant. And they are all back AGAIN! You can grab the tomato horn worm and smash him; but the ants bite a leave bumps all over you and the stink bugs are very hard to catch, fast little critters, and they look prehistoric too. The aphids, well, you can't see them, only know you got em when the ants start coming out in force.

One good thing though, I heard a lot of bees in the morning buzzing around past three mornings and I have 5 watermelons and lots of flowers that the bees are now pollinating on the watermelon vines. Got one huge red tomato and two puny ones, grabbed two good sized eggplant before the stink bugs made a meal of them and about a dozen green peppers. They got a few more weeks then it's over with, time to think about my fall garden.

I came up with a fabulous plan though for my yard tables, I have 3 new ones, which gives me 4 altogether now and 3 of them will have an imitation of one I saw on Dave's garden club. (smiles).
joy

joy - we must be close enough to share bugs! I had hordes of stink bugs & the biggest hornworms (& more of them) than ever! A couple of the worms were 4" long UUUGGGHHH!!! I just drop them into a bucket with several inches of water in it - don't like to smash them- e-eeeooooow! Samantha

Samantha: Yes, you can grab the worms easy enough; but the stink bugs are too fast moving, was looking for my grandson's gun that he had to suck the bug into a container but he must have taken it home to NY with him, shame on me for playing with his toys I know, but, the idea had crossed my mind with the stinkbugs. Now where did I buy that bug gun from I wonder? LOL I'm going to plant lots of radishes as they deter them. I've found all the plants for detering bugs except the borage plant, haven't a clue where I can find it yet.
joy

Joy, Borage grows quickly from seed.

Occarol: I can't find any seeds, been shaking down all the seed racks in town lately too. LOL
joy

Google is your friend Joy....

http://www.burpee.com/category/herbs/borage.do?sortby=default

http://www.amazon.com/Botanical-Interests-Borage-Seeds-50/dp/B000G68FAK

http://www.localharvest.org/borage-seeds-C4348

http://www.gardenguides.com/seedcatalog/herbs/borage.asp

http://www.swallowtailgardenseeds.com/herbs/borage.html


Speaking of bugs. Check out this poop machine! I gave him a tomato to eat and he ate it in less than 12 hours. I named him "#2" lol

Too funny Ray!!! ROTFL

I even let Mr. Poops-A-Lot live :D


This person on DG is offering Borage seeds. http://davesgarden.com/products/market/view/7831/

Does a chipmunk count?

Ray: YOu are too much. LOL Thanks for the links and letting me know I can get the borage plant, flower basket has a peppermint plant, so now I'm good to go. I found all the seeds today at 3 different stores, except for the peppermint and borage, problem is, I don't have pay pal, my sis does though. (smiles). That would have been one dead catepillar and I be darned if he'd get one of my maters, not even a bite if I can help it.
joy

I had a pretty easy year...bug wise on the plants. I am fighting a terrible infestation of sod web worms right now tho. What got me was the mosquitos. Now matter what I tried,,,they just tear me up...cant do a thing out there. I would be out planting my daylily seedlings, as I write, if they would just go away.
If you put on boots and long sleeve..pants etc. you clearly are going to surcomb to heat stroke..or
I would just do that.

Garden Glory: I heard vitamin B 12 helps with the mosquitoes; but, so far it hasn't. LOL I finally have borage and working on the peppermint now, soon, will have all the plants that are supposed to deter the bad bugs from my plants. Flower Basket said they have the peppermint plant so will pick up some of those this next week. I'm still gonna spray though, after this past summer and the bugs taking over the garden.
joy

I try not to spray anything more than necessary. That said, there is way to much time and money in this 'hobby', one that I would like to think I might at least break even on, but have great veggies in return. An organic gardenr Im not, altho I do tend to spray late, only after the problem, I need to get ahead of it.

This year, white flies were everywhere (and still are). I tried spraying with an organic spray--I think the flies thrived on it. Between the weather and white flies, it's been a very sad growing season. But, there's always next year, right? LOL at Jeannie--our chipmunks actually come and sit on our patio chairs while munching on their latest garden find. How pathetic is that? It's a good thing they are so cute! So much for dog hair chasing rabbits/critters from the garden--we have 2 golden retrievers (LOTS of hair). No decrease in critters.

I heard they taste like chicken..LOL LOL

I don't think they're too cute when they dig up every seed you plant!

It seems everyone had problems with too many bugs this summer. I intend on preventive measures this Spring, now that I know what the summer holds in store for me, I sprayed one time from fall to Spring, no problem, then Summer hit and before I could spray here came the rain and it wouldn't let up long enough for me to spray, that is when the bugs took over. I got them under control now I think; but, will spray again to make sure just before I plant my fall garden in and then will be keeping a very watchful eye, I think if they have dissipated and I use the preventative measures I might make it to summer and just before summer I will prepare for them now that I know what to expect. LOL
joy

The ONLY good part about having to discard my heirloom 'maters this year (blight problems) was that I didn't have to deal with hornworms and stink bugs!

Also I tend to be like gardenglory: spray too late, after the problem is well established.

My main problem this year was chipmunks.

Cape Cod Gardener: I have a bunny that got lose in my garden; but now only ventures into the front yard, when he sees me, he runs like crazy. The bugs have been a problem and one that I want to make sure I'm on top of from now on.
joy

Could bunnies be considered furry bugs, Joy?

I WISH my bunnies would run like crazy when they see me. I have two currently in residence, one little cottontail in the back yard, and one bigger one (front yard) with a distinctive white patch on his rump who grudgingly lollops away only when I get really close (2-3 feet.) They ignore my two terrier dogs, freezing in place when the dogs get near, which fools my pups.

This has been a bumper year for rabbits and chipmunks. Not sure why, but many folks blame it on the fact that coyotes are fewer now that folks are allowed to shoot them on the Cape.

Cape Cod Gardener: The trick is when they get trapped in your fenced in back yard and you chase them from one to the other with a raised broom in hand, he was quivering so bad, and hid out for quite some time before strutting back into my back yard, the minute I stepped out on the deck, he took off faster than a speeding bullit for the property next door. Who says violence never gets anyone anywhere? LOL
joy

Joy--you need to visit my yard with your broom. I have the same problem as capecodgardener. Most of the rabbits are not even afraid of me--you can get within about 2 feet of them, and all they do is move a little one way or the other. One even sat there munching on a plant as I was 2 feet away trying to shoo him away. The old trick of dog hair keeping them out of your garden is obviously false, too. I have 2 golden retrievers that chase the rabbits/chipmunks to no effect. We tried trapping and relocating the chipmunks a couple of years ago--my husband swore that we needed to start tagging them. He was sure the same ones were reappearing after a few days.
I also fall into the "waiting until too late to treat" camp. Sigh.......

Mom2goldens, I think that rodents have a homing instinct that brings them right back to their original domicile. I read of a scientist who caught mice in his garage, tagged them, and then relocated them more than a mile away.
Soon they showed up back in his yard!
Sorry to hijack the thread, Joy! Loved the image of you racing around with the broom!

Cape Cod Gardener: It was a workout and my neighbor had a real good laugh, I chased it through the corn, cukes and the neighbor even opened up a gate for it to get back out, he wasn't having it though, went right back out the way he came in, which helped me block up that entrance pretty good. I discovered you don't chase them, you follow them quietly, else they run the minute you get up behind them, they do here, ain't they ain't cute either, these are brown rabbits that are mangy looking. I'll be keeping an eye though since my melons are finally starting to grow, got 5 on the vine now that just might make it to maturity. Problem is the weed cloth has dissipated from the rain we have been having and I have not made hammocks for them. I'm thinking perhaps the next time I grow melons it might be in an above ground bed perhaps.
joy

Picked 11 more of these guys today. Thought I'd share the pic since he has some girth to him.

Ray: Put a diaper on him, he makes a bad mess. LOL
joy

LOL

He got a reprieve and was pardoned. He's living out the rest of his life in the neighbors yard.

Are you pulling my leg???

Ray, do you know anyone who raises chickens or other poultry? Because they would REALLY appreciate some of those fat hornworms!

Hey CCG, it's funny you mention that. Lat week, I was looking at websites selling them for reptile food. They were selling them 6 for $15. I pick around 30-40 a week. But then I read this and it makes sense.....

Ray, that was very interesting and I'm glad that you posted the info. I then googled more information about tomato hornworms, and found the following:

Note: Hornworms you find in your garden might look just as juicy or even juicier then the ones from the stores but once they've eaten tomato leaves, tobacco leaves, pepper leaves, potato leaves, or eggplant leaves they become dangerous to feed to your pets because of the chemicals in the plants leaves accumulate in the hornworm making it poisonous for your pet.

THE ONLY BUGS THAT CREATED A PROBLEM THIS YEAR FOR ME WAS THE WHITE FLIES. NEVER, NEVER HAD THEM BEFORE. I LIVED HERE FOR 19 YEARS AND THIS YEAR WAS HORRIBLE FOR GROWING TOO! LOTS OF RAIN AND COLD NIGHTS. ( NORTH ADAMS, MA )

I ALSO HAD AN ABUNDANCE OF SOILDER BUGS. THESE ARE A GOOD BUG THAT LOVES APHIDS SO THEY HELPED ME THERE WHILE I WENT TO COMBAT AGAINST THE WHITE FLIES WITH A SPRAY I MAKE CONTAINING HOT PEPPERS. I ALSO USED NEEM OIL.

I read this today.

OMG Annapet LMAO! That is perfect....thank you for the laugh. I'm gonna get you back :)

this is a baby...and yes they eat everything..my Jack Russell came carrying him in the shipping room..OH he's on a bug zapper...I made him smoke...lol

Moonglow, how did you DO that?
So funny!

Grasshoppers & my new puppy.

Ugh, just when I thought I had all the bad bugs gone I find spiders, little red ones and yellow ones. Ick.
joy

My toms did great this year. We had unusual weather. Hot, cold, hot, cold over about 8 weeks. The toms would grow, bloom, get cold and then set on. I usually have a big problem with the horn worms. This year only as few. I have had a family of small lizards move into the garden area. That is the only thing different. I did not place them there. They just showed up. I am currently planting my winter garden. This week will be mid 90's. Next week high 80's to low 90's. I am just about done with my pre planting work but also have three neighbors that I help with their winter gardens. No humidity and a total of about 2 inches of rain year to date. Take care. I have been lurking. I have two EBs in the garage but do not have them in production yet.

Been finding a bunch of these red guys lately :( No clue what it is, probably some type of earworm or armyworm.