Yesterday i found these guys all over my perennial coreopsis plants, also there is some chewed up foliage as well. Im wondering if these are ladybug larva that perhaps showed up to make a meal out of whatever was chewing on the leaves, or perhaps these things are the culprits themselves. If they are ladybug larva, i have never seen them solid black before, i have always been used to black with orange coloring on their backs.
This looks more like a larva of a leaf beetle (family Chrysomelidae), in which case it would be among those chewing the leaves...
they were especially hiding down in the crevices of where the growth points were. i wanted to get input from you guys here before i took any action. Looks like i will have a day of "pick and squish" ahead of me tomorrow, lol.
