An invasion has occurred just less than 1 mile north of the Ohio River in my garden. I had noticed earlier in the week a couple of enormous beetle like insects on the undersides of some of the upper leaves atop the trellis of pole beans. At first I likened them to birds roosting as I saw them first thing in the morning and they disappeared soon thereafter? It puzzled me.
At 8::00 this morning I stealthily slipped into the garden, past the bees on the cucumber trellis and the pepper plants, to find them again! I was armed with the camera a shoot a few less than noteworthy photos of them with the intent of using the photos to look online and identify the "buggers".
When I Google searched for "Southern Indiana Garden Pests" the most promising result I deemed was Purdue University's guide to identifying Home Owner's garden pests. The first attempt was in the category for beans. Not there. I looked on every page they have for every plant type and every insect and was not able to find him. AND IT IS NOT LIKE HE IS A LITTLE BUG? He looks to be just under an an inch long and about 3/8 inch wide. Perhaps I missed him or overlooked him, but I saw nothing this size that looked like my new neighbor.
If you know what this is and how to dissuade him from eating my garden please advise. I have emailed a photo to Purdue and asked for assistance but it is summer vacation there too? Not sure anyone is there to help.
I do think maybe I have seen this insect before but not commonly in my garden. At my age it could have been anyplace over a long span of time! Thank you friends and readers!
FOLLOW UP POST TO THIS BIG BUG MYSTERY. MY SISTER-IN-LAW PAM SUGGESTED I SEEK HELP FROM LARRY CAPLAN WHO WRITES FOR OUR LOCAL PAPER AND IS AFFILIATED WITH PURDUE UNIVERSITY. HE HAS CONCLUDED AND I AGREE AFTER COMPARISON THIS IS WHAT IS CALLED A GIANT JUNE BUG.
It's name is Giant June Bug not, it is a giant June bug!! I am using Sevin at his suggestion and hope it will solve this infestation. Thanks go out to Pam and to Larry.
2 comments:
Your bug is what we in the south call a June bug. When I was little my mom would tie quilting thread on a leg and they would fly around like little helicopters!
Oh my gosh!! Such interesting info! Thanks a lot. They are huge and that is what throws me. What I have always called a "June" bug is smaller and brown but I make no claim to knowing what I am talking about! These are certainly big enough to do what your Mother did with thread.
I use and have on hand dawn liquid dish soap and am off to try that cure. Thanks so very much. I hope something works. I have gone through 3 bottles of liquid sevin and they could care less at almost $10. @ bottle!
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