Hello.

My eggplant foliage is being devoured by black beetles. They are
charcoal black with a narrow edge of gray around the periphery of the
wings. It has a small head, distinct from the body. Size varies from
1/2 to 3/4 inch long by 1/8 inch wide. They fly well and also escape
capture by dropping to the ground when disturbed.

Photo at www.trifs.dyndns.org/black%20beetle%201.jpg

The beetle is in the center of this photo, head down. It is feeding on
an eggplant leaf which is already damaged.

I've seen this BadGuy in past gardening seasons but the population is
markedly larger this year.

Please identify this garden pest. Thank you.

Daniel B. Martin

wrote:
They look like a variety of blister beetle to me. Nasty lil buggers.
Sevin would probably work.

Thank you. A brief exploration with Google Images confirms this insect
to be a Margined Blister Beetle. I've been hand-picking them, and will
continue to do so, but now I know it is important to avoid squashing
them. See
http://creatures.ifas.ufl.edu/urban/.../blstr_btl.htm

Daniel B. Martin

On Fri, 28 Jul 2006 19:19:41 GMT in . net Daniel B. Martin wrote:
wrote:
They look like a variety of blister beetle to me. Nasty lil buggers.
Sevin would probably work.

Thank you. A brief exploration with Google Images confirms this insect
to be a Margined Blister Beetle. I've been hand-picking them, and will
continue to do so, but now I know it is important to avoid squashing
them. See
http://creatures.ifas.ufl.edu/urban/.../blstr_btl.htm

Makes me wonder if there's a way to extract the blistering agent
for use in an active critter deterrant system.

Remote control spritzing of the cloven hooved rats with
this stuff would be great...


--
Chris Dukes
"The key to effective management is properly timed hovering."

Makes me wonder if there's a way to extract the blistering agent
for use in an active critter deterrant system.

Remote control spritzing of the cloven hooved rats with
this stuff would be great...

In reading more about this pest, I saw that the blistering agent is a
component of the "aphrodisiac" Spanish Fly. *laugh* Seeing that, it
might not give you the results you want with the cloven hooved rats....

--
Susan
shsimko[at]duke[dot]edu

On Fri, 28 Jul 2006 19:19:41 GMT, "Daniel B. Martin"
wrote:

wrote:
They look like a variety of blister beetle to me. Nasty lil buggers.
Sevin would probably work.

Thank you. A brief exploration with Google Images confirms this insect
to be a Margined Blister Beetle. I've been hand-picking them, and will
continue to do so, but now I know it is important to avoid squashing
them. See
http://creatures.ifas.ufl.edu/urban/.../blstr_btl.htm

Daniel B. Martin

Now we know how it got its name! Looks like a nasty jellyfish sting!
Luckily I have not seen these in my garden.
Kira

On Mon, 31 Jul 2006 12:43:03 -0400 in Susan H. Simko wrote:
Makes me wonder if there's a way to extract the blistering agent
for use in an active critter deterrant system.

Remote control spritzing of the cloven hooved rats with
this stuff would be great...

In reading more about this pest, I saw that the blistering agent is a
component of the "aphrodisiac" Spanish Fly. *laugh* Seeing that, it
might not give you the results you want with the cloven hooved rats....

That's because when injested it irritates the urethra.


--
Chris Dukes
"The key to effective management is properly timed hovering."