Advice for the Home Gardener from the Help Desk of the
UC Master Gardener Program of Contra Costa County
enjoying a CCC tomato
MGCC Help Desk Response: Thank you for contacting the UC Master Gardener Program Help Desk with the photo of your bugs. These are leaffooted bugs in the nymph stage.
Leaffooted bugs seem to be an increasing problem in our gardens. They are not new to California, but they seem to be occurring more commonly in the past several years. Adults overwinter, often in large groups, in protected spots such as woodpiles, palm fronds, under peeling bark, or in tree cracks. In the spring or summer, they move into gardens looking for fruit that's ripening so they can lay their eggs. Tomatoes seem to be one of their preferred crops.
Leaffooted bugs have piercing-sucking mouths they use to suck plant juice. When they feed on small tomatoes, the fruit will sometimes fall off prematurely. Feeding on mature tomatoes can cause a slight discoloration that doesn't really harm the tomato--they are still edible.
For control of leaffooted bugs right now (July), hand pick them when you see them (wear gloves because they don't smell very good), and look for and remove eggs which are usually laid in a chain on the underside of leaves. If you experience a heavy infestation this year, remove overwintering sites, clear weedy areas around your garden site where the adults feed before the fruit ripens, and next year, you can try using row covers to protect crops if you see the problem again. Use of an insecticide for control is rarely warranted.
This link will take you to more information about leaffooted bugs from the University of California: http://ipm.ucanr.edu/PMG/PESTNOTES/pn74168.html.
Please do not hesitate to contact us if you have more questions.
Happy gardening!
Help Desk of the UC Master Gardener Program of Contra Costa County (SEH)
Note: The UC Master Gardeners Program of Contra Costa's Help Desk is available year-round to answer your gardening questions. Except for a few holidays, we're open every week, Monday through Thursday for walk-ins from 9:00 am to Noon at 75 Santa Barbara Road, 2d Floor, Pleasant Hill, CA 94523. We can also be reached via telephone: (925)646-6586, email: ccmg@ucanr.edu, or on the web at http://ccmg.ucanr.edu/Ask_Us/ MGCC Blogs can be found at http://ccmg.ucanr.edu/HortCoCo/ You can also subscribe to the Blog (http://ucanr.edu/blogs/CCMGBlog/).
Advice from the Help Desk of the Master Gardeners of Contra Costa County
various life stages
photo: www.doyourownpestcontrol.com
I found this "bug" in my kitchen sink. Could you tell me what it is and what I should do about it?
Help Desk Response:
Thank you for contacting the Contra Costa Master Gardener Help Desk. I have inspected your insect sample, and suspect that it is a young (nymph stage) of an Oriental cockroach. This variety of roach prefer damp areas and cooler temperatures. They are most commonly found in single family homes surrounded by vegetation, and will come into homes in search of food. They are more slow moving than other roaches, and do not fly. Because of this, they will often be found trapped in sinks or bathtubs. Because Oriental cockroaches will take one to two years to grow to their adult size, you may be seeing only the nymph stage from a recent hatching.
photo: UCANR
I have included a link below from the UC Davis Integrated Pest Management website that will provide you with more information about roaches, including the most effective methods of control. A combination of baits, traps, sanitation, and exclusion methods are discussed.
http://www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/PMG/PESTNOTES/pn7467.html
In the event that you decide to consult a professional exterminator company, I have also included this link providing information on how to choose a pest control company:
http://www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/PMG/PESTNOTES/pn74125.html
I hope you find this information helpful. Please do not hesitate to call us again if we can be of assistance.
Help Desk of the UC Master Gardeners of Contra Costa County
Note: The UC Master Gardeners of Contra Costa's Help Desk is available year-round to answer your gardening questions. Except for a few holidays, we're open every week, Monday through Thursday for walk-ins from 9:00 am to Noon at 75 Santa Barbara Road, 2d Floor, Pleasant Hill, CA 94523. We can also be reached via telephone: (925) 646-6586, email: ccmg@ucanr.edu, or on the web at http://ccmg.ucanr.edu/Ask_Us/
Help and Advice from the Help Desk of the Master Gardeners of Contra Costa
Client's Request for Information and Advice:
Looking forward to hearing from you.
MGCC's Help Desk Response:
Thank you for contacting the Master Gardener Help Desk.
The odd-looking insect in your photo is an artichoke plume moth (Platyptilia carduidactyla). I've noticed these on my screen doors and house walls occasionally this summer myself. The moth is about 1" wing span while the larvae (caterpillar) is about 1/2" long. An interesting short UC blog on the moth can be found at http://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=14257
Are you or your neighbors growing artichokes or cardoon (related to artichoke, but you eat the stems)? Or are you near an open space with an infestation of imported cardoon weed?
inside choke
So, not really a good bug, except that it is food for birds, and other insects and spiders.
For even more information about this insect and its control, University of California has published a Pest Note (free) specifically on the artichoke plume moth at http://www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/PMG/GARDEN/VEGES/PESTS/plumemth.html
Happy gardening! Please let us know if we can be of further assistance.
Help Desk of the Master Gardeners of Contra Costa
Note: The Master Gardeners of Contra Costa's Help Desk is available year-round to answer your gardening questions. Except for a few holidays, we're open every week, Monday through Thursday for walk-ins from 9:00 am to Noon at 75 Santa Barbara Road, 2d Floor, Pleasant Hill, CA 94523. We can also be reached via telephone: (925) 646-6586, email: ccmg@ucanr.edu, or on the web at http://ccmg.ucanr.edu/Ask_Us/
