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Beneficial insect eggs or not? Basil

18 years ago

As I was picking basil leaves to bring in for cooking tonight I happened to pick a set of leaves with off-white to gray round eggs (5 rows). I'm not sure if I have a pest or a benenficial. For now I have the leaves in a clean jar with a moistened coffee filter to keep moist/humid.

Any idea what insect they belong too?

Thanks,

Vera

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Comments (8)

Heathen1
18 years ago
could be whitefly???
Heathen1
18 years ago
I looked up aphid, whitefly and ladybug eggs... all depends on what color "off white" some are greenish, some are yellowish...
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Vera_EWASH
Original Author
18 years ago
I know it's not aphids or whitefly...but if it's Lady Beatles the egg color sure if different than what I've seen before. We do have more than 1 species around here though :) You may be right on there!

Vera
Vera_EWASH
Original Author
18 years ago
Ok...just found a pdf file from Colorado State U and a description does say the Lady Beetle eggs will turn slightly grey shortly before hatching. I will let them hatch in the jar to be sure tho :)

Vera
Heathen1
18 years ago
Well, if they hatch into those awful red and black larvae, you have a neat-o creche! :o)
wormfarmer_6
18 years ago
Could they be eggs from a butterfly? I'm not sure what kind would lay eggs on basil. Should be interesting to see what hatches.
Vera_EWASH
Original Author
18 years ago
Wormfarmer,

Nothing has hatched yet, but it will be interesting to see :)
I thought about butterflies too.

Vera
Vera_EWASH
Original Author
18 years ago
Definatley NOT butterflies! HAHAHAHA
As of today, about 10 minutes ago I checked the jar and 3 eggs were opened and 3 itty bitty black fly like creatures were crawling the jar...they ain't flying just yet..sorta skipping/hopping. I know they are not a true fly.
...I don't want to let them go until I know I'm not releasing a pest. Any clue?

Thanks,
Vera

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