Andrew said:


I've found several of these guys in my small backyard garden:

http://xs.to/xs.php?h=xs840&d=09242&f=bug595.jpg

They resemble Colorado beetles, but are smaller (about 5-7mm) and
instead of long brown stripes have brown spots on their backs.
One of them was sitting on a grape leaf and I am pretty sure it was
eating it!

Who are these and how much should I be concerned? Besides grapes, I
grow some peppers, tomatoes, eggplants and herbs.

What you have there looks like an adult Oriaental beetle (Anomala
orentalis). This is a "newer" pest in the US, still spreading, and
actually seems able to out-competing Japanese beetles as pest of
lawns and gardens. The grubs feed on roots of plants and the
adults leaves and flowers.

It comes invarious color morphs:
http://bugguide.net/node/view/12234

Here's an article (from 2007) about the arrival of Oriental beetles in
Indiana:
http://www.entm.purdue.edu/news/orientalbeetle.html

Where exactly are you located?

--
Pat in Plymouth MI

"So, it was all a dream."
"No dear, this is the dream, you're still in the cell."

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