CLOSED: Tiny Black/Bronze/Green Shiny Beetles

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adbjwb Madison, MS(Zone 8a) Apr 23, 2011

Thousands of these tiny bugs have attacked our Coreopsis Jethro Tull. Our plants were large clumps but have reduced to nothing but black stems. Now that the plants have no more green, the bugs are migrating from the Butterfly Garden onto the concrete patio and are headed to other beds. What are they and how can I control them while protecting the Monarch Butterfly caterpillars, butterflies and hummingbirds?

They are pictured on a small yogurt cup. That's a little Butterfly Weed seedling on the left.

Thanks, you all!!

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LadyAshleyR Oakland, MD Apr 23, 2011

Flea beetle maybe?
Here's an example of one species:
http://bugguide.net/node/view/39545

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trackinsand mid central, FL(Zone 9a) Apr 23, 2011

yes, flea beetles. they are all over my Gaura this time of year. thankfully, they only stick around about a month. you can spray liquid castile soap and water to limit their numbers but they are hard to totally get rid of until they want to go.

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adbjwb Madison, MS(Zone 8a) Apr 25, 2011

I'm about to docide they are Phaedon desotonis Balsbaugh (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae), a Coreopsis (Asteraceae) pest. Here's a link: http://www.freshfromflorida.com/pi/enpp/ento/phaedon_desotonis.html

What do you all think?

BTW, I've sprayed them with water/liquid dish detergent but there were still MANY HUNDREDS the next day. I then added a litle oil spray to the mix and they STILL were present the next day. I hate to do much more since the Coreopsis is located in the butterfly garden.

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trackinsand mid central, FL(Zone 9a) Apr 25, 2011

you are probably right. i should have thought before i posted. mine are metallic blue black but probably related to yours.

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adbjwb Madison, MS(Zone 8a) Apr 25, 2011

Thanks for the help!! If anybody knows how to erradicate them while protecting the Monarch caterpillars, please speak up!!

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trackinsand mid central, FL(Zone 9a) Apr 26, 2011

i think you just have to wait them out but that's just my experience with the metallic ones. beetles are harder to control than some other things. the good thing is that monarch cats won't usually be on the same plant as the beetles.

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