I'm not sure if this could be helpful. Sometimes introducing one specie to control another results in an even bigger problem.

But - a few years ago, we began to notice small lizards in our back yard. We have lived here for 40 years, and this was a first sighting. I wasn't sure whether their introduction would be helpful or harmful at the time.

We do have a large infestation of Argentina ants. They do a lot of damage to Ca. citrus crops, because they carry aphis up into the trees that suck juices from the leaves and produce serious infestation/disease problems.

Anyway, I think the ant populations are beginning to decrease dramatically, because at least I can venture outside without being literally covered with them. My only answer to their decline is the presence of the small lizards that have colonized in my back yard.

As I said, I'm not sure about your beetle problem. Why not ask your plant doctor whether lizards would be right for you? Actually, they might not be happy in your cooler climate either.

Just my 2 c's.

Bejay

Would like to see pictures of your "dinosaur like bugs" because we need to be certain about what you have.

The reason there is little info about 'controls' for them is because they are generally regarded as a beneficial since they help control aphids, whiteflies, thrips, etc. which are real threat pests.

Or, as you discovered, a mild nuisance pest rather than a damaging pest. So most of the recommended controls, unless a severe infestation, are IPM and environmental "housekeeping" type controls (remove surrounding weeds, increase sun exposure, reduce nitrogen levels that attract them, avoid over-head watering, etc.)

My initial reaction was the same as Jean's - if they are eating tomatoes then they aren't tortoise beetles since they are leaf eaters and plants can easily tolerate a lot of leaf eating. OR you have some other pest that is attracting them to your garden because of the presence of the real pests. So be sure to rule them out first or you may find you have a worse problem on your hands.

Then, if you feel you really need to go after them, I'd suggest spraying Surround (kaolin clay).

Dave

digdirt - where did you see where they are 'beneficials'? The only reference I have seen to them being 'beneficial' is that they can easily kill off some plants such as morning glories. They eat foliage not other bugs and when plants are young, defoliation is not easily overcome.

They ARE tortoise beetles, I've pinched enough of them up close to know what I am seeing; they are the clavate ones not the golden. Overnight, they defoliated my homegrown eggplant to a point where I think I'll have to settle for store bought alternatives. They love potatoes and so long as you pick them off twice a day, sure, the potatoes can survive having their leaves chomped to bits; holes, holes everywhere. I just don't have a large enough garden to let the beetles feed off of it and have plants left for the family as well. My garden is only 20 x 30, I live and let live for the most part, but with these if I went that route, I'd have no plants.

The last two yeers they seem to dissappear after a while, guess I'll just have to be patient.

I don't have weeds, aphids, whiteflies, thrips or other pests in the garden, soil is tested annually, garden is in full sun, raised beds, don't water overhead except for rain which I can't control.

I wasn't arguing with you. Merely offering information and points to be considered. One of those points is that they are distributed throughout the country, even here, and for the most part, are considered a nuisance pest at worst.

You said you wanted an environmentally friendly solution and I gave you one - IPM and Surround. Row covers also work for that matter.

But it's your garden so only you can decide if you can live with them. If the answer is no then use Sevin spray. Doesn't qualify as environmentally friendly but works.

Dave

I was just picking those damn things off my tomatoes this morning. Not a lot right now, I only found 4 or 5, but I had never seen them before. Nice to at least know what they are. I have been spraying with neem hopefully they are susceptible to it, and it wont turn into an infestation.

Another possible solution would be planting a trap crop of morning glory outside the edge of your garden. I have to admit that it seems strange to me that they are going after your garden with such gusto. We had them growing up but they were only ever to be found on the bindweed (a wild morning glory). I wonder what is causing yours to be so different. Perhaps the trap crop can save you trouble in future seasons... cheers!

I'm going to try the neem, after our heat wave ends though. Oddly enough, they seem to be non-existant in the heat. Maybe they've gone nuts because of the cool, wet weather we had been having, who knows. Also, I don't spray or treat anything in my garden unless it's something I don't think the plants can withstand and then I do try to be environmentally friendly. I figure, we're eating this stuff, if I wanted stuff sprayed all over it, I'd just buy the grocery store vegies all summer.

Hope I can help everyone with this pest. I have also for the first time experianced this bug and have done some research. They say it wont "kill" the plant.. but like all of you I dont like anything chowing on a few leaves! So... I took a little recipe I got from Jerry Bakers "Supermarket SUPER gardens" As with any home remedy spray a few leaves and let sit 24 hours. Mix 1 cup of rubbing alcohol ( NOT denatured alcohol ) with 1 tsp vegetable oil into 1 quart of water. Pour into a hand held sprayer and spray top and bottom of leaves that are affected. Good luck everyone...... Happy tomato/pepper season :-) (these bugs like peppers too :-( )

Hey Sandra,

Just wanted to let you know that - I KNOW HOW YOU FEEL!!

I too have had major issues with this beetle, and for the last 4 weeks I had NO IDEA what it was and how to safely and organically combat it. At first I thought it was a type of lady bug and was keeping a close eye however I determined it was the culprit after a short period. They started with my tomatoes but have moved on to the eggplant, pole beans, squash AND my cucumbers yada yada.

Anyway, I know exactly what you need. Check out http://ourgardenpatch.com/ under agricultural products youll find the plant wash concentrate. This stuff is organic and inexpensive (at least to me, a 10 dollar 16oz bottle of "organic plant soap" lasted me 2 garden sprays where as with this stuff you get the concentrate and can make it by the gallon!!)

I sprayed this stuff on at night and by the morning there was no sign of the beetles. I respray every 1-2 weeks and after heavy rains and my veggies are looking great now!

How funny ya'll want to get rid of 'em & I was trying to find some to purchase... ha!
I get excited every time I see a Tortoise Beetle. They are fairly rare altho I did see 5 in the last 2 weeks :).
You want to put some in a small container/envelope & ship 'em to me?

digdirt, the tortoise beetle in question is a plant pest and not a beneficial. Me thinks that you might be thinking of some other beetle.

And though I am a huge fan of Surround WP, it is not used to "go after" something. It's sole purpose is to prevent pest interest....in egg laying and/or feeding. It is applied, hopefully, long before any damage actually occurs.

Sandra, the reasoning behind the 'nuisance' label is that these beetles supposedly move in to our Solanaceous crops late in the season, when the damage they cause to the foliage doesn't matter as much as if the plants were young and not fully developed.

Your beetles hide out in loose mulch and compost during the heat of the day.

I get them fairly early in the season. It's usually the Mottled Tortoise Beetle, but this year I also saw a few of the Golden Tortoise Beetles - both have striking colors, This year, the Mottled were on my potatoes, and the Golden were on squash... although I think I had 1 or 2 on the beans. In any case, even though I see them every year, it's never a lot of them, and they do hardly any damage here. They look so cool that I almost want to let them feed on the plants lol.

ETA: Oh, and 1 or 2 usually find their way to the eggplant. What is it about eggplant? Everything just wants to just wipe that plant out lol. The fruits aren't even very nutritious. Too bad we couldn't eat the leaves ourselves, they must be the nutritious part!

If you happen to plant Morning Glories, altho pretty. They will take over everything. So if you do, beware of the fast growing vines. I turn the ends up on themselves as to not over run the yard.
They are beautiful on a trellis.

All these are wild ... they grow then die out.

2017 Tortoise Beetles on 'volunteer' Morning Glory leaves

Here is a picture of the Tortoise beetle >> Helocassis clavata - Plagiometriona clavate