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Something is eating the leaves of my Eggplants........
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marg
Jul 4, 2002, 1:00:19 PM7/4/02
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Can anyone identify this pest. It's leaving little holes in all the
leaves of my eggplants. This little black bug is on all the plants.
Here is a photo, please take a look and tell me what I can do about
it:
leaves of my eggplants. This little black bug is on all the plants.
Here is a photo, please take a look and tell me what I can do about
it:
thanks, Marg
Sugarchile
Jul 4, 2002, 1:24:24 PM7/4/02
to
Not sure what is making the dime-sized holes; could be slugs or earwigs.
The tiny holes are from the little black bugs. They are flea beetles, a
very common pest on eggplants. Aside from chemical warfare, there's not a
lot of easy ways to deal with them. They do tend to be episodic; for me
they are worst in the spring, when the eggplants are young and tender.
Once the weather warms up and the plants mature a bit and put on some
serious growth, they are less bothered by the beetles. By delaying planting
you can miss the worst of the beetle population explosion. Another strategy
is to use a floating row cover on the new transplants; this is not always
as effective as you might hope, because the larvae are present in the soil.
If you have persistent problems, you can grow eggplants in pots, in fresh
potting soil, somewhat distant from the main garden.
The tiny holes are from the little black bugs. They are flea beetles, a
very common pest on eggplants. Aside from chemical warfare, there's not a
lot of easy ways to deal with them. They do tend to be episodic; for me
they are worst in the spring, when the eggplants are young and tender.
Once the weather warms up and the plants mature a bit and put on some
serious growth, they are less bothered by the beetles. By delaying planting
you can miss the worst of the beetle population explosion. Another strategy
is to use a floating row cover on the new transplants; this is not always
as effective as you might hope, because the larvae are present in the soil.
If you have persistent problems, you can grow eggplants in pots, in fresh
potting soil, somewhat distant from the main garden.
My usual method involves planting late, cursing and fussing and
hand-smushing when the flea beetles show up, then sighing with relief when
the worst of it is over. I still manage to get more eggplants than I can
eat.
Cheers,
Sue
"marg" <bam...@warwick.net> wrote in message
news:b5d7484c.02070...@posting.google.com...
marg
Jul 4, 2002, 11:22:11 PM7/4/02
to
"Sugarchile" <sugar...@earthlink.net> wrote in message news:<cx%U8.1220$x6....@newsread1.prod.itd.earthlink.net>...
Thank You for all your advice. They ARE little black bugs, I don't
know if you could see them in the pictures. Well I guess it's time to
get out there and just hand pick them off. Luckily I only have 6
plants so maybe it won't be too bad.
thanks again,
Marg
Sugarchile
Jul 4, 2002, 11:44:09 PM7/4/02
to
They don't hand pick very well; they're not called flea beetles for nothing!
They are quick jumpers. I usually manage to smush about half of what's on a
leaf, and the other half get away; still worth doing, I think. I've thought
about going out there with a dustbuster hand vacuum, but haven't tried it
yet.....
They are quick jumpers. I usually manage to smush about half of what's on a
leaf, and the other half get away; still worth doing, I think. I've thought
about going out there with a dustbuster hand vacuum, but haven't tried it
yet.....
Good luck,
Sue
Sugar...@earthlink.net
Zone 6, south-central PA
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