Oh, I have seen theses bugs the other day... Re: I have a small plastic birdfeeder that has 4 froggies on a lilypad and it sits on the ground next to some flowers...Anyways...I lifted the container to clean it out when I saw a bunch of these yucky bugs! I was thinking they were "cockaroaches!" (lol) So, far I haven't seen them on any plants...
Warning: Beetle eating blooms ...
Oh my, just wait until you see real Texas cockroaches then!!! LOL!!
PaperWhiteTulip, I agree with what knokrteblond says above. Wait until you see the great big water cockroaches. I really hate to accidentally step on these.
Oh, I think I seen them... already re: one in the shower! EeeK! All I can say is im thankful they aren't as big as the ones I seen in Miami (lol) It has looked like it was going to start raining in the distance and we were sitting outside next to a palm tree on the patio of Gloria Estefan's restaurant, when all of a sudden theses "Monster Roches" were coming out from the palm trees crawling everywhere! (lol) I waved the waiter over and told him could he please do something about them (lol)
Ya'll are hilarious.
Ah...what a perfect post! I have those little black beetles on my snapdragon vines. They are inside the seed heads. Am thinking the larva hatches and the beetles bore out? The eat all the seeds! Since I don't use pesticides in my yard I was clipping off the infected seed heads and tossing them into a jar. Beetles started crawling around trying to get out but I sprayed a dose of bug spray in that and put the lid on it to kill them. UGH!!!
~ Cat
Htop, LOL on your college research papers going on and on because mine did too! I actually did a 14 page research paper on Cesar in H.S. and it only had to be 4 pages. I used to pride myself on this fact and then I read a quote somewhere recently (sob) that said the essence of a good writer is knowing when to sum up...to go on and on means you aren't very good I guess. Opps!
Glad to know I'm not the only one suffering the cucumber beetle. But it doesn't APPEAR to be destroying anything. I more worry about the few HUGE grasshoppers around now that I have a veg garden. But they don't seem real common in this area, more crickets than anything and I've yet to see them eat anything in the garden, neat huh?
Don't be fooled by the cucumber beetles. They ARE eating your plants. Kill the ones you can see because they multiply quickly. They fly so they are sometimes hard to catch.
The best killer for the huge grasshoppers is a plastic baseball bat. Go out in the morning and start beating them! It works great but your neighbor's will start talking about you. Oh well, they probably do anyways if you are a gardener. ;)
konkrete,
LOL about the neighbors. Yep. They see me outside puttering in the yard and people are telling me they can't keep up now. I have only seen the cucumber beetles in the roses. But we do have veggies now so we'll beware. My DH squishes them with his fingers but I'm too chicken.
Konkreteblond, you remind me of something my neighbor said once. I had taken some irises to their house and knocked on the door. The husband came to the door. When he saw the irises he said "There you go again. Everytime you start diggin' in your dirt, my wife gets on me about doing something in our yard. I wish you'd quit that!" He was kidding of course, but it did kind of surprise me. It never occurred to me that my neighbors payed any attention to my efforts.:)
People who don't enjoy gardening just can't understand the need to be out in it daily. Mine have gotten used to me but they used to constantly talk about me and/or make comments. Not bad things but just making observations. They'd be out and yell something across the street etc. Once it became apparent that there was a method to my madness I think they started enjoying the flowers and quit thinking I was such a nut. lol Personally I think they are all nuts to be sitting inside while they could be outside with me!
Yes, we call it "burnin' daylight" if you're inside when you could be outside. - especially before a RU!:)
Exactly! Evenings are my favorite time and I stay out until I'm forced in. It was really hard this year with my son being in first grade because I had to come in earlier and get him ready for bed. I guess it's not really necessary to be outside all day, although I always find things to do. I even love deadheading!
When my daughter gets home from college, I'll have less time to spend outside, because somebody has to fix a meal and I'm usually the one to do it. I look forward to having her home and getting to eat with her, but darn it. My play time outside is cut short!
I was outside early this morning in my nightgown taking pictures of the flowers. As I was walking along the back fence, I realized the neighbor was also outside watering. I bet he thought I was a nut!
Yeah, I know my neighbors think I'm a nut, always prowling around and taking pics of the plants... a one-person papparazzi pack for plants.
You are all too funny. I didn't realize this was a plight felt by all gardeners! I thought my neighbors just thought I was an odd one! I was worried when DH was photographing the blooming roses as he kept trying for lots of angles....I was like, "Hurry....they'll start staring!" LOL!
Oh, I'm so glad I'm not alone! LOL! I was just out snapping pics yesterday and wondered if my neighbor, Mrs. Kravitz (not related to Lenny), was wondering why I take so many pics. I have to or I forget what's going on out there!
Yeah you think it's weird when neighbors wonder what we are doing with the camera can you imagine the film developer? Hehe.
I was being lectured by my neighbor about planting seeds along the fence... re: the ants will eat them she mentioned.... while she was planting 3 bougainvilleas in the shade (lol)
Hi
Looks like you guys are the experts! I have a garden this year for the first time in 25 years. I told my husband I am going to turn the yard into a park. As I have dug up the front yard to plant grass seed on the top, and began mock terracing the sides of the yard (we are on a corner) I have definitely noticed increased attention from the neighbors!
Have a question for you. What eats marigolds??? I thought they were the plant that was supposed to scare bugs away! I have a couple of marigolds in a bed with several types of sweet potato vines and succulents, along with a few bluebonnets... and I came out one morning to see my marigolds eaten except for the stems! Couldn't figure that one out.
Have a great day
Mary
(yx is an old cattle brand for our last name.... hence the online name of maryyx)
Slugs and snails love marigold plants and will eat them up, look for slime trails.
Flea beetles will eat them too, look for little black bugs.
Welcome to Dave's Garden Maryyx! I guess there are some experts, but I personally have more questions than answers. But we are atleast a friendly bunch. Can you come to the RU in College Station?
Mary Lee
Hi maryyx, glad you joined in! I'm glad you asked that about the marigolds, I have been given marigold starts twice - last year and this year - and both times they are eaten to a nub in no time while everything around them is just fine.
Guess I will try the "saucer of beer" trick for the slugs. ;-)
That does work, but my experience has been that they are picky. They don't like lite beer. The want the real stuff, and the smellier the better.:)
The (marigolds) I have planted by seed, have sand with tiny rocks mixed in, the soil....so far nothing has been eatting them...
I guess we been lucky down here.....course they may not can stand this endless humidity so thick it's "chewy". A few zinnias and rudbeckias started from seeds this year........or else the "hordes of beetles" are chewing their way south and east. and will show up soon.
Debbie
This message was edited Apr 22, 2006 12:54 PM
Sure hope they let these snaps and stocks got to seed before they arrive. I really want the seeds to winter sow again next year.
Naturally I am late getting here, but something is eating big holes in my Lambs Ears on one end of the bed, but one on the end is fine, but it is a different variety. Maybe I missed some info as I havent read the entire threard. if I did please let me know. I love that Insects in the City site!
sylvia
DMJ, your stocks and snaps are beautiful! I love that pink color.
check this thread re: Dave's testimony using Mirabilis jalapa to get rid of JB http://davesgarden.com/forums/t/204843/#new scroll down almost to the bottom of the thread.
That's really interesting. We have a few JB's, but not enough to be a problem. But then we also have 4:00's.:)
Mary Lee
Marvie... you think its the Japanese Beetle? Thanks for thread, I am on it. :)
Sylvia
DMJ, (Tks) for posting the pictures of the flowers from your garden...they are very lovely. We had bought a pot of mixed color "snapdragons" at HD, they have been blooming , except they aren't as (tall)... Maybe it's becuz it's in a shaded part of the garden? I only have a few zinnas from each package I planted re: Cactus Zinnas 3 packages... Cactus Zinnas are one of my all time fave to grow.. The blooms are awesome... But, I have noticed, some packages contain just the regular type of zinnas..which can be disappointing... :( when you think they are all (Cactus Zinnas) growing!
This message was edited Apr 23, 2006 5:00 PM
This message was edited Apr 23, 2006 5:02 PM
Sylvia,
i have the same problem here. the same beetles as shown above, with the parallel lines on them. they love to devour on daturas. i will be planting Mirabilis this yr and observe the results. i have been fighting with JB for a long time. hope the Mj will solve my problem.
Thanks Paperwhite! I love Cactus Zinnia's too: and I know the problem.....these are "allegedly" cactus (seeds from Burpee's) and are clearly not....but they are cheerful.
My tall snaps were extremely slow to bloom this year, in full sun, south side of house. I thought I would loose them to heat before they went to seed (I save my own seed on these and plant at end of Oct). I would think they would last longer into the heat with some shade. I have a "ton" of seeds if you want some, dmail me, then you'll have some for next year. They are mixed colors but most were pink (some whit and yellow too).
Debbie
Howdy, Gosh, thank so much for the offer, I like the colors of the zinnas.... I have some seeds off a plant that came from HD that was purchased this year.....It's a whiteish/gray (could) be Salvia,
DMail me paperwhite.
Debbie
Okie Dokie