Guest guest Posted July 24, 2008 Report Share Posted July 24, 2008 Hi Roseta, Are you sure your beetles are harmful? I recently acquired a type of beetle in the tops of my kale and collards in SoCal. It looks similar but not the same as pictures I can find of " Harlequin " beetles (which belong to South + Central America according to the encyclopedia). Mine are about 1/3 to 1/2 inch long with dark purple uppers dotted with orange spots, underneath they have yellow stripes; they have a symmetrically ellipsoid body with no long legs. Anyway they are not eating my kale or collard leaves, nor apparently laying eggs there. I get no holes or gnawed folliage from where they've been. Also, I closed one in a jar with collard and kales leaves for three days and there were no marks left on the leaves. Their behavior is docile, reminding me very much of big lady bugs and I thought they may be cleaning the leaves, of aphids and other pests. The encyclopedia says " Harlequin " beetles live on tree-sap and burrow and lay their eggs under the bark of TREES. I have pictures but can't post them to the group as my connection just times out. Wondering, Slim , " rosetalleo " <rosetalleo wrote: > > > We are sucessful but by no means problem free. The largest problem > right now are harlequin beetles or bugs in our brassicas (kale, > collards, cauliflowers, turnips). Nothing seems to work on them short > of hand by hand extermination. Hot pepper spray mixed with a mild > shampoo or dish soap works for most aphids but needs to be re applied.... Good luck to you! > > Roseta > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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