They could be, they were chomping on my heleniums earlier in the year. It is just as likely that it is something else, though, like slugs and the rolie polies are just in the wrong place at the wrong time. I keep a spray bottle of the rose and flower insect spray handy (I think it's by Bayer) and just spray down a plant when I see it being munched on. It works for a few weeks, but if you just keep an eye out for munching, then spray it, the plant is usually fine after that. Good luck!

Two words that will help you, will not over fertilize, will not damage beneficials, and works quite well when done strategically: Diatomaceous Earth Kills 'em all. Nothing else needed aside from NORMAL fertilizer (which Ammonia is not - it's very bad). Anything ammoniacal deteriorates your soil condition, and especially when used with frequency. I've used DE for nearly 2 decades in my veggie and show gardens and little to no problems (that is when I actually do it right lol!) For pots, I put straw at the top to keep evaporation in check and drastically reduce watering requirements. I sprinkle DE both under and on the straw. I have a set of large buckets I soak my pots in, making sure the water level is below the top of the soil level so as not to wet the DE. The DE scrapes them up when they climb (or ooze) their way in and they're dead the following day. It's crazy how many dead slugs and earwigs I find around the pots. I sometimes have to break out a broom because it looks like a killing zone. Another way I control them in the veggie garden is to take old plastic containers (i.e. cottage cheese, etc.) and put a couple ounces of vegetable oil and tuna juice in their. Earwigs literally pile up in there - it's disgusting, but makes me laugh inside >:) Bottom line is the damage has dropped significantly and I'd say that those particular bugs are not problems for me any longer - not that they don't exist. Now, SVB... that's one bug that's pi**ing me off - but a different topic altogether. grr... Good luck! This post was edited by gsweater on Fri, Jul 19, 13 at 22:11

Check around for slugs, even little tiny ones. Use slug bait. The brown buds could be botryitis. Here is a link that might be useful: botrytis?

It could be a flea beetle if it looks like BB's have been shot though the leaves. They are little black beetles that jump like fleas and are usually found on the underside of the leaves. Sevin will control them and just about any other bug that eat on your dahlias. It will kill the bees too so you don't want to use it on blooms.