I had a busy week (who hasn't!?!)and tonight was the first night I've been able to get back to my garden since this past Sunday. My intention was to finish picking the last of my gourds and dried beans as well as harvest some of the sunflower heads. Everything was fine until I got to the gourds. They are covered in little, 1/4" to 1/2" beetles. There seems to predominantly be two types of beetles. One is an oval shape with a light green and black head and yellow/greenish body with 6 black spots on each wing. The other beetles are of a more golden/yellow color with golden/black heads with 3 stripes on their wings. Both are eating through my gourds and the majority are just wrecked. I tried picking them, similar to how I handled Japanese beetles but these things fly away as soon as I get near them. I picked what gourds I could salvage and moved on to the sunflowers. The sunflower head are covered in them as well! They are not on my acorn or butternut squash nor are they near the brussel sprouts or beans. Please tell me what these nasty beetles are and what I can do to get rid of them. I noticed some on the ground and it looked like they were going into the dirt. If they are anything like Japanese beetles, I'm worried they are laying eggs and I most certainly don't want these again next year. I (along with all other Midwest folks) worked hard to keep our gardens alive during the drought this year and I hate to loose anything to pests! It is too heartbreaking!!
I would contact your county extension office and see what they have to say. Hopefully, you'll get them under control before any further damage is done. Good luck!
Farmgirl Sister # 3810
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Thanks, the picture is dead on. I picked as many of the nasty things that I could but I have a feeling the next couple of seasons I'll be fighting these nasty things!