Without a picture or a much more detailed description it's impossible to ID but if there is no damage to the plant then it is likely no problem. Most bugs in the garden are harmless or even beneficial. ;) Ants have segmented bodies while beetles have single segment bodies with a hard carpace. There are many bug pics on the web you can review so I'd suggest you Google "okra pests" and see if any of those are your visitor. Hope this helps. Dave

I'd say the sunflowers will attract more bugs that will move onto your plants. Those are relatives of stink bugs and squash bugs. Hard to kill. I think the best control is checking the leaves for the eggs and squishing them before they can hatch. But it's hard with a large garden and large squash plants.

Those are a relatively new introduction to the US, Begrada hilaris. I believe that they are from Africa. Thus far, they have only been found a very few locations in this country, but they are likely to spread rapidly. OK, I found a good fact sheet for you so that you can learn more about your pest. Here is a link that might be useful: Click here for more information

Thanks for your help. I’ll try rinsing them. I hope I don’t have to eventually toss them. I know it sounds silly but I have a sentimental attachment to them. I’ve had the mother plant for 27 years. This is the first time I’ve had any problems with pests. These are my only indoor plants. I can’t figure out how the bugs got in here unless I brought them inside with vegetables I had picked from my garden. Thanks again