General Pest Question

[Daniel Reed]

I realize this isn't a hydro question, but I'm posting here because surely someone has this insect and I need to know what it is, how to get rid of it, whether my plants are too far destroyed, and how to prevent it next time.  My eggplants, I have four of them, three heirlooms and one black beauty, and they are being eaten by something. 

I put three pictures of the plant and the leaf on my blog, http://www.thecornerinthemiddle.com/?p=428  I am at a loss.  Until two days ago, I sprayed simple insecticide soap on the leaves and that usually fixes all my pest ills. It has not helped, and two days ago I had to buy a garden poison because this pest has spread to everything.  

I would normally separate the plants immediately, but I've no where to put them except where they are. It is not a fungus or disease, at least not one I have ever seen.  It seems like some kind of leaf minor, but again, I've been gardening for almost thirteen years and have never seen this before.  Maybe it is just my bad luck, or maybe since it's my first year growing eggplant, this is something specific to them.  I grew the plants from seed, aside from one, which I bought three days ago because mine were being eaten and I feared they won't make it.  However, the next morning, the pest had spread to my storebought one.  Anyone have any ideas at all?

[Nate Storey]

Hmmm. That's a pretty damaged plant. It looks like it's being hammered by a number of forced. The photo's not really clear enough to tell what kind of a critter that is, but if it's down around the base of the plant (in the media) it's probably a fungus gnat (not a major problem- there's aquaponics safe nematodes to take care of them if they really bother you). If it's mostly on the leaves and appears to "jump" or fly really short distances, it's probably thrips (this damage kind of looks like thrips damage, although I'd think you'd see more of them). Most of the other pests are big enough that you'd see them. Although your leaves look like they possibly have a little bit of a viral problem (i'm not sure what hits eggplants, but it was possibly infected via whiteflies or thrips). In the end, it's pretty hard to tell with your photos, but i think you need to probably get rid of that plant material. The black specks on the leaves are much more likely eggs than poop.

[Daniel Reed]

Thanks for the post. So far, I've removed the mulch; another member sent me an email that it looks like flea beetle damage and that it's living in the mulch. I removed the mulch and sure enough, there were several beetle looking insects that scurried away. So, in total, there were three pests, aphids and thrips and the beetles. I removed the mulch and hopefully that will end that. Now, on to hoping there's enough of the plant left to heal itself and carry on with it's duty to bear me much fruit!

[Earl ward]

I live in Indiana last year I got hit by Japanese beetles, little gold colored things. The strawberry plant leaves looked a lot like what you have. I got a bettle bag beetles go in but they don't come out.

[Ron Thompson]

Not a direct answer, but maybe one of these compounds will help. I found this recently and am betting some folks here would find a use for it....


Make Homemade Organic Garden Pesticide
Brew Natural Pest Control Products for Flower and Vegetable Plants

Since organic gardening has changed from a novelty to a commonplace way to grow ornamental and edible plants, manufacturers have responded to gardeners’ demands for effective but natural pest control products. These organic garden remedies are no longer exclusive to specialty nurseries and mail order catalogs; instead, one can purchase a range of nontoxic garden supplies at neighborhood discount or home improvement stores.
However, some organic lawn and garden treatments come with a premium price tag. Furthermore, the DIY organic gardener appreciates tweaking homemade garden remedies for recalcitrant pests that seem immune to the ready-to-use products sold on shelves. Gardeners can turn to their pantries, gardens, and even the pests themselves to create potent plant remedies and cures forpennies.

Homemade Insect Soap
Insect soaps are available in any organic gardening aisle, but gardeners can make a homemade garden spray that’s just as effective for aphids, caterpillars, and mites. Combine three drops of mild dishwashing liquid in one quart of water. An added tablespoon of cooking oil helps the mixture cling to leaves. Spray plants to the point of drenching, but don’t use on blossoms or when temperatures are over 80 degrees F to prevent scorching the plants.

Homemade Tobacco Bug Spray
Everyone is familiar with the negative health effects of cigarettes, but the nicotine in tobacco is poisonous to all kinds of insects as well. Gather enough cigarette butts to harvest ¼ cup of tobacco leaves. Place these in a sock, and soak them in a quart of water overnight. Avoid using this homemade insect spray on eggplant and tomato plants, as tobacco can harbor the mosaic virus.

Hot Pepper Bug Repellent
Even for gardeners without a penchant for spicy foods, it’s worth adding a row of hot chili pepper plants to the garden for their bug repelling effects. Place a handful of dried hot peppers in the food processor, seeds and all, and grind to dust. Take care not to get the dust on the skin or eyes. Sprinkle around garden plants to repel ants and onion maggots.

Rubbing Alcohol Bug Spray
Rubbing alcohol quickly desiccates the bodies of soft sucking pests like aphids, mealy bugs, and thrips. However, it can also damage plant tissues, so gardeners should use alcohol sparingly in the garden. Dab a cotton swab soaked with rubbing alcohol directly on the pests, taking care to avoid the plant. Plants with waxy leaves may tolerate a dilute alcohol spray of one-cup alcohol mixed with a quart of water.

Bug Juice Spray
Gardeners may be repulsed yet fascinated to learn that one can make a natural bug spray out of the pests themselves. No one is exactly sure why pests are their own worst enemies when applied to plants, but researchers speculate the presence of an anti-cannibalism mechanism or a chemical that inhibits insect feeding. Gather enough of the offending pests to fill at least a teaspoon, and pulverize them with the back of a spoon. Place the mashed bugs in cheesecloth, and soak in two cups of water overnight. For best results, use the bug juice within three days.




Read more at Suite101: Make Homemade Organic Garden Pesticide: Brew Natural Pest Control Products for Flower and Vegetable Plants http://organicgardens.suite101.com/article.cfm/make_homemade_organi...

[TCLynx]

I'm sure I've seen them but no idea what they are.

[Daniel Reed]

If I was Bear Grylls, I would guess they are a great source of protein and you should eat them immediately?