opas Posted June 14, 2006 Share Posted June 14, 2006 I have 4 Aubergine plants that are just starting to flower. Acouple of days ago I saw that one of the plant leaves was eaten away just as a catapillar does my cabbage! anyway on closer inspection saw a ladybird sized bug with yellow/black stripes where a lady bird has spots and yellow black mottled pattern at its head. Not being sure if this bug had eaten the leaves , I removed and desposed of it. I went to the garden again this morning and there was another of these things on my aubergines, these are peppers and courgettes on either side and are untouched.I have done a search on a garden site , a very frightening picture cropped up..............it said Colorado potato beatle, please somebody tell me that there is something similar, that it is a lovely bug like a ladybird and is looking after my plants.[blink] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hoddy Posted June 14, 2006 Share Posted June 14, 2006 Opas wrote: "please somebody tell me that there is something similar, that it is a lovely bug like a ladybird and is looking after my plants"I wish I could Opas. I'm sorry to say it sounds like colorado beetle to me, you'll just have to keep picking.Hoddy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Juswundrin Posted June 14, 2006 Share Posted June 14, 2006 HiIf you look underneath the leaves, you might fiind clusters of tiny orange-coloured eggs; squishing them at that stage is much easier than having to get each adult beetle.(On potatoes, they only tend to eat the foliage, so I assume your aubergines should be safe). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
opas Posted June 14, 2006 Author Share Posted June 14, 2006 Thanks , look quite harmless don`t they!Got a bit panicky there for a moment as the site I looked at said that if one descovered them on crops in UK then to inform DEFRA, do not know if this is still necessary there or how up to date that site was. I had vissions of having to fill in forms at the Maire , paying a 3million euro fine and all my fellow allotment holders waving their fists at me as their crops were burnt !off egg hunting in the morning when it is cool..............37 degrees at the moment! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hoddy Posted June 14, 2006 Share Posted June 14, 2006 Don't forget the rubber gloves !Hoddy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
saddie Posted June 14, 2006 Share Posted June 14, 2006 Colorado beetle is not notifiable in France. It is too late! They entered Europe through Bordeaux and are too widespread to do anything other than sort out once you have them. They love aubergine plants. I have even more problems. Colorado beetle on the potatoes and lily beetle (on the lilies obviously) Their larva are even more disgusting than those of the colorado. They cover themselves in their own excrement and look like - well nose pickings- is a nice term.I keep two pairs of gloves for all the squishing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob Roy Posted June 14, 2006 Share Posted June 14, 2006 [+o(][+o(][+o(]Our neighbour is a producer of potatoes and had an infestation of CB last year - I've never seen him move so fast to spray the fields [blink] Of course they can devastate the crop very quickly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
opas Posted June 14, 2006 Author Share Posted June 14, 2006 [quote user="Hoddy"]Don't forget the rubber gloves ! Hoddy[/quote]Give us a clue, why do I need rubber gloves? I picked the 2 that I found with other leaves from the ground, I do not normaly wear gloves as I find I cannot 'feel' the weeds and just scrub my hands/nails as soon as I get home. I wear workmens golves (Mr Os actually) if I am digging to stop blisters.Do the beetles have a sting? more research methinks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
saddie Posted June 14, 2006 Share Posted June 14, 2006 [quote user="Opas"][quote user="Hoddy"]Don't forget the rubber gloves ! Hoddy[/quote]Give us a clue, why do I need rubber gloves? I picked the 2 that I found with other leaves from the ground, I do not normaly wear gloves as I find I cannot 'feel' the weeds and just scrub my hands/nails as soon as I get home. I wear workmens golves (Mr Os actually) if I am digging to stop blisters.Do the beetles have a sting? more research methinks![/quote]It is not the beetles so much as the grubs. They need to be squashed. If you do not mind getting yuk on your fingers - no problem Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hoddy Posted June 14, 2006 Share Posted June 14, 2006 I'd forgotten about the grubs. I wear rubber gloves because I squash the eggs and the beetles. I don't like the result under my fingernails.Soil I can cope with; squashed colorado beetles and their grubs and eggs, I can't.Hoddy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
opas Posted June 17, 2006 Author Share Posted June 17, 2006 I spoke with one of my neighbours about this (now I know I do not have "illegal" insects[:)]) He also has an allotment, not near mine though, he too has the dreaded beetle. He said he didn`t have any at all last year, but has found them eating their way into his tomatoes.So far I have only seen 2, if anyone comes past my allotment at 6.30 in the morning they would probably have me certified!, on my knees , wearing see through garage feebie gloves[blink] and stroking all my aubergine leaves to a shine! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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