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I found this on one of my tomato plants this afternoon, and later found one on some kale. I've never seen them before. They're about 1/4 inch long and look at first glance like bird poop. I think they're beetles because they definetly fly. When it first noticed I was there it plastered itself down flat to the leaf and didn't move, it really looked like bird poop then. I've been finding mysterious holes in all of my plant's leaves and I'm wondering, are these causing them. Thanks in advance for your help
One strange looking bug there yehudith. Sort of looks like a leaf hopper to me, but it has been a few decades since I took an entomology course and I can't be sure from the pic. Someone will probably tell you to go to your extension service with a sample of the bug and/or the pics which might work. I tried that once and got nowhere, but I can't really compare our extension office to any others. I'm sure someone will have a better idea what it is you have there and with a little research on line you can get a better handle on the little bugger. I had a problem with the Colorado potato beetle last season and made a book on the information I got on line as well as my own observations. It's absolutely amazing to me what you can garner from the net with a little help from your friends here.
If I see one again I'm going to catch it and take it into the zoo. They have a great insectarium there or I guess I could try the Natural History museum as well. They also have an insect zoo.
To be more precise, its a clavate tortoise beetle. They love tomatoes and eggplants. Their range is all of the east coast and else where in the US. Control is hand picking and hot pepper wax spray.
Sounds like my Colorado potato beetle saga from last year yehudith. I chose the hand control method vs. my neighbor’s method of spraying a fungicide. I can't begin to tell you how many hours and how many beetles, larvae and eggs I smashed with eight sixty foot rows of potatoes. I think the neighbors got a kick out of seeing me out there with my latex gloves walking up and down the rows of potatoes yelling "die bugs"! I think they were calling me the terminator behind my back!
Great info. I had found the same bug in my garden. I was dumbfounded and in aww at the bug. It looked prehistoric to me. Very interesting bug. I had said it looked like a turtle shell bug with a high back bone.
