skip to main content

cucumber-beetle-like beetle

16 years ago

I have small spotted beetles going after my beans. I have always assumed they are spotted cucumber beetles, but I'm beginning to question that.

They are the size and shape of cucumber beetles, but they aren't yellow, they're more of a reddish brown color. I don't think it is a CO Bean Beetle, because every picture I've ever seen of those shows a beetle that is shaped like a ladybug. These are oblong, not round.

Do spotted cucumber beetles come in a darker color, or is this something entirely different?

Sorry, I don't have a picture.

Sort by:Oldest

Comment (1)

iacche
Original Author
16 years ago
I think I figured out what I have.

Bean Leaf Beetles:

Bean Leaf Beetle (Cerotoma trifurcata): Adult beetles are reddish to yellowish in color, 1/4 inch long, have three or four black spots in a row along the inner edge of wing covers, and a black band occurs near the outer margins of wing covers. Larvae are whitish, dark brown at both ends, segmented, and have six small legs near the head. Adults chew holes in leaves, feeding on them from the under surface; larvae feed on roots, nodules, and on stems just below the soil surface, which can girdle the plant.

more pics of them here (they do appear in yellow as well, which might have added to my confusion):
http://www.ent.iastate.edu/imagegal/coleoptera/beanlb/blb_yellow_red.html
http://www.extension.umn.edu/distribution/horticulture/M1185.html
http://www.oznet.k-state.edu/dp_hfrr/extensn/problems/beanleaf.htm

They don't seem to kill the plants, for me they've just been a pain in the ass. Luckily, this year (so far) I've seen far fewer than last year. (Though last year was horrible for a lot of things. We had Japanese Beetles everywhere.) It's a very strange thing. I've combed through my gardening books (the main ones being E. Smith's Vegetable Gardener's Bible and Rodale's Encyc. of Organic Gardening) and none of them mention Bean Leaf Beetles. Perhaps I just missed it somehow.
Related Discussions
Cucumber Beetles and Potato Beetle Questions
Q
Comments (2)
dont confuze bean beetles with cucumber beetles, they're different buggers bean beetle http://images.search.yahoo.com/images/view?back=http%3A%2F%2Fimages.search.yahoo.com%2Fsearch%2Fimages%3Fp%3Dbean%2Bbeetle%26fr%3Dyfp-t-501%26toggle%3D1%26cop%3Dmss%26ei%3DUTF-8&w=335&h=500&imgurl=static.flickr.com%2F2287%2F1632300876_8ddced300e.jpg&rurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.flickr.com%2Fphotos%2Fnaturespixel%2F1632300876%2F&size=80.6kB&name=Bean%20Beetle&p=bean%20beetle&type=JPG&oid=8d7581b417cb279a&fusr=NaturesPixel%20Photography&tit=Bean%20Beetle&hurl=http://www.flickr.com/photos/naturespixel/&no=3&tt=757 cucumber beetle http://images.search.yahoo.com/images/view?back=http%3A%2F%2Fimages.search.yahoo.com%2Fsearch%2Fimages%3Fp%3Dcucumber%2B%2Bbeetle%26y%3DSearch%26fr%3Dyfp-t-501%26ei%3Dutf-8%26js%3D1%26x%3Dwrt&w=333&h=500&imgurl=static.flickr.com%2F3231%2F2308061704_8a1ede2da5.jpg&rurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.flickr.com%2Fphotos%2Fseismic_2000%2F2308061704%2F&size=85.5kB&name=Spotted%20Cucumber%20Beetle%20on%20rose%20petal&p=cucumber%20%20beetle&type=JPG&oid=3f00fb8192afbb46&fusr=Seismic_2000&tit=Spotted%20Cucumber%20Beetle%20on%20rose%20petal&hurl=http://www.flickr.com/photos/seismic_2000/&no=3&tt=590 bean beetles will decimate your beans. as for the CPB, hand pick until you can't keep up, spray, then go back to hand picking until you can't keep up, spray etc.
...See More
Cucumber root issues and a cucumber beetle.
Q
Comments (2)
I don't know what you mean by "fairly organic," so I'm going to give you my best treatment idea. First pick off the little buggers then apply Sevin. You said "fairly..." Next, here is a link to a very good article on these beetles with reference to physical traps. Good luck. http://extension.usu.edu/files/publications/factsheet/cucumber-beetle08.pdf
...See More
Kaolin Clay for flea/cucumber/Japanese beetles, squash borers
Q
Comments (38)
Spraying plants with bug juice, or leaving a can of dead bugs on display, can't hurt, and probably helps. I had read that the JB sends a scout and then the scout releases a scent telling others it's a good spot. My experience last year goes along with that. I was in the garden, one arrived and I hadn't yet set up my can. I was working on putting my glove on, but before I could, two more came, started sexing on a leaf, and then a bunch more piled on. I ran and set up the can and started flicking them in and kept the can at hand, but also on display in case there was some kind of scent of death. The first year I had JB, I got the scout and stepped on him, then left his body on the ground. I definitely think there's something to this, although I've never been able to catch cucumber beetles quickly enough. They're tricky.
...See More
Cucumber beetle eating cucumbers...still safe to eat?
Q
Comments (3)
As far as I've heard, your stomach acid does a pretty good job on lots of things. Stuff that is bad for you (listeria, e.coli, etc) doesn't come from nowhere, it comes from contamination with feces, human typically. And direct sunshine can do a good job killing some of those, as well. If you have an immune disorder, then be more careful. Otherwise, I'm sure that cucumber is cleaner than anything you pick off the grocery store shelf that has been handled by several people, at least.
...See More

Related Stories

SUMMER FRUITS AND VEGETABLES Summer Crops: How to Grow Cucumbers

By Marianne Lipanovich

Pick a peck for pickles or opt for fewer and raw — no matter how you slice them, cucumbers are great for summer gardens small to large

GARDENING GUIDES Attract Thynnid Wasps With Summer-Flowering Native Plants

By Pollination Press LLC

These beneficial insects will hunt damaging beetle grubs in your lawn

GARDENING GUIDES Great Lakes Gardener: What to Do In July

By Barbara Pintozzi

Gather juicy berries and breathe in the lovely scent of lilies, but don't forget to stay on top of watering needs and shake off the beetles

GARDENING GUIDES Summer Crops: How to Grow Peppers

By Marianne Lipanovich

Some like 'em hot; others like them sweet. With the incredible range of peppers available for home gardens, you can have your pick

GARDENING GUIDES Look Out for Lacewings: Beneficial Insects Coming to a Garden Near You

By Pollination Press LLC

Lacewings are delicate insects that produce alligator-like, hungry offspring that devour aphids and other garden pests

TINY HOUSES Adventure Seekers Hit the Road in a Cozy School Bus Home

By Mitchell Parker

Wood floors, butcher block countertops, custom furnishings and LED lights make life on the road feel like just another stylish day at home

LIFE How to Outsmart Backyard Critters

By Tiffany Carboni

Learn to think like a raccoon, skunk or squirrel to keep your home safe and your garden intact

FLOWERS AND PLANTS Flowers of ‘Berlandiera Lyrata’ Surprise With a Subtle Chocolate Scent

By Susan J Tweit

This heat- and drought-tolerant Southern Plains native offers up daisy-like yellow blooms from spring to first frost

GARDENING GUIDES 6 Plants That Beat Butterfly Bush for the Wildlife Draw

By Benjamin Vogt / Monarch Gardens

It's invasive, a nonnative and a poor insect magnet. Check out these better alternatives to butterfly bush in the garden

GARDENING GUIDES Great Design Plant: Smooth Aster, the Wonder Pollinator

By Benjamin Vogt / Monarch Gardens

An insect nirvana with lovely near-blue petals, this low-maintenance aster strives to please

Sponsored

Fresh Pointe Studio

4 Reviews

Industry Leading Interior Designers & Decorators | Delaware County, OH

More Discussions

Blue Fescue is Not Blue?

4

What kind of slug is this?

7

Can fallen leaves in winter be used as fertilizer?

5

Drift rose bushes

12

Can you help me identify culprit if those damages?

4