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Re: Bug ID, please

Well, it _seems_ to be one of those hard-shelled things, but I'm basing that
on pure observation.  I still don't have the guts to go touch one...due to the
spikes all over it...  They _look_ like they're sucking on the plant stem.
They haven't been on any leaves that I've seen... In fact, the leaves all look
perfect, to me...

Okay, say I go the hand-picking route... where do I put those critters after
I've plucked them off my plants?  Do I need a bucket of soapy water, say?

Compost, you say?  Can you add that stuff any time?

You guys have been GREAT! :)  There is SO much good info that flows on this
list...  I sure wish I could know as much as you guys do... I have a feeling
that it'll take me longer to figure gardening out than it took me to figure
out how to make soap! :)  Thanks for sharing with me!

Lisa Lisa

----------
From:   Square Foot Gardening on behalf of Bob Carter
It's a bit hard to ID based on what you wrote.  The spikes make it sound like
some sort of caterpillar ... but is it that or a hard shelled beetle or ???
Six
legs means it's an insect for sure.  The wilting may be due to a virus or
other
infection that it's transmitting in the process of feeding.

If you want to go organic, hand picking is the first and safest step.  Sprays
of
water are usually good, but you've tried that.  Soapy water is worth trying,
but
if it's a hard shelled beetle it likely won't be that effective.  If it
is a caterpillar you may be able to use bt to control them.  Nothing personal
to
Shirley, but I wouldn't use sevin or other broad spectrum poisons
indiscriminately, if at all. They will kill all the insects, pest and
beneficial
alike.  I tolerate insects in my garden, they have a tendency to balance each
other out in most cases and most pose no threat.  Better to positively ID the
critter first if you can, there may be a less severe cure.  You have
definitely
seen it feeding on the plants? It is a piercing, sucking feeder as opposed to
leaf eater?

For the future, I'd apply lots of compost to the soil.  Plants have an amazing
ability to resist pests and disease when they get great nutrition.

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