Thank you too, Sheila! I read that Monarda kept Leaf Footed bugs away from tomatoes and it seems to have worked. I had a few nymphs in May that I killed but the Monarda was still small. I haven't seen one since the Monarda grew & bloomed and I usually have a huge battle on my hands all summer with those bugs.
Two Mysteries
so the stink bugs I killed in the last day or 2 that didn't stink, those were leaf footed bugs. Part of them are said not to bother gardens?
They are similar to stink bugs, but there is a lot of different ones. It says they are plant eaters btw.
http://bugguide.net/node/view/93
Not my favorite bug to come across, they are sneaky.
Mine were big, ruined my vegetables by sucking the juices out and fly away quickly. Their back legs are broad & "leaf" shaped. They're the worst vegetable garden pest I usually have.
Mine looked just like Sheila's photos.
Does your monarda bloom all summer Sheila? I am thinking of planting some but wasn't sure it could take the climate here.
My purple monarda bloomed most of last year. Keep it half way watered at least.
@Cheryl....It usually blooms late May through July. This year it hasn't done quite as well because of the heat this last few weeks.
An uglier bug than the leaf-footed is the Wheel bug. I had a lot of those one year. Seems every year I have one bug that emerges as the main thorn for that year. LOL! I don't spray other than wasp nests and ants where I am working; so I have a variety.
But it really hasn't been all that hot this year?
hasn't been that hot. My Monarda has been in bloom for at least a month
I saw the first plant, or something extremely similar, at Northhaven Gardens in Dallas a few days ago. I hope to make a return visit today or Friday so I will see if I can ID the plant for you.