Grab a picture of one of the insects & post it here and on Name that Insect forum . You are more likely to be able to get a real id with a picture .

that is a terrific site Maryl !

Thank you for the website Maryl. I searched, and no success. Attached is a picture of the damaged plant, along with two of the suspects. Hopefully you can zoom into the picture, otherwise, I may need to take another.

Can't seem to attach the photo. File is too large. I will work on reducing it and send out. Thank you again for your response.

Macro do you still have the original image. The image you have loaded onto the page is far too small to be able to id those little bugs. Can you take the original image , crop it just around the bugs , then resize your image to say 300 dpi and about 6 x 8 inches . This size image will load a decent size image for us to blow up in a program like irfanview to be able to get a close up view of your insects .

I tried to enlarge the image to view the bugs at a size that is identifiable but there are not enough pixels to do it The image just becomes pixelated at the size you have it .

Based on your description and images I have seen on the net and without being able to see the pic up close and personal I am going to guess your insects are thrips .

signet_gw, I tried a few dozen times to upload the picture, but was not able to based on the size. I had to load a lower resolution pic. I will keep working on it.

thank you!

how about this one?

Also, any suggestion on the daylilies? With all the damage, do you think they will send out stalks? I have about 3 dozen, and they were all terrorized by these bugs. Should I trim them down and wait for regrowth?

Thanks again for all your assistance. I have worked so hard to buildup my landscape, and it is a bummer to see a pest such as this destroy them...

Marco those bugs dont look the same as the original image what little I could see of them in the first photo ?????? They looked like a flying wasp of some sort or a thrip. I have been trying to id a flying insect .

These bugs in the second image look more like a beetle ? have you tried posting this image on Name that Insect forum ? Probably someone there has the more specific knowledge about insects, beetles etc. You might get a better response . I have only been guessing .

Maybe this bug? http://plant-pest-advisory.rutgers.edu/red-headed-flea-beetle-emerges-in-nj-nursery/ or

https://www.nwf.org/Wildlife/Wildlife-Library/Invertebrates/Bombadier-Beetles.aspx

This is the closest bug I have seen out of all the images on the internet. I don't think it is a flea though. The back legs are skinny, and it flies in lieu of jumping. Thank you for all your assistance. There has to be someone out there who is going through what I am. If not now, soon enough. I noticed a few last year, but a large quantity this year.

What area of the country are you located? If you are in the USA, there should be no problem with trimming down some of the damaged foliage a bit and having blooms later on. It's still early. I have received new orders as late as mid May and had them bloom a few months later. Are the bugs gone now?......Maryl

I am just inland of Los Angeles. There are a few of them still around. Any recommendations on a good insecticide?

Have you identified what they are? Did you post it on the other forum signet recommended? Once you know what they are, then an insecticide can be recommended if at all. Not all insecticides have the same effect on pest control and also in certain states some are not allowed. Best to find out first what they are if you haven't already.

I believe this is a type of Flea Beetle. There are different types but they are generally about 1/16 inch long and the feeding damage removes the green tissue and what remains is a clear membrane epidermis of the leaf. They don't fly but they do jump quite far.

You can control these by hitting them with "Seven".

The link will take you to a picture of what they look similar to.

You may want to collect a few of them and bring them to your local Cooperative Extension Service. This may be a beetle that is new to your area.

Mike

http://ento.psu.edu/extension/factsheets/flea-beetle

There's a green beetle known to range in California called a Lytta.......Link enclosed..... Mike makes a good suggestion about capturing a couple and taking them down to your county ag extension station.....Maryl

Green Beetle-Lytta

You really need to get your state Department of Agriculture involved. An inspection by an expert will id the bug and give you recommendations on control.

The insecticide referred to you by Mike is 'Sevin'.

Marco, I posted your bug pic over on the insect forum(hope you dont mind) . The people there said that you need a better pic of the bug and suggested catching a few , chilling them and then take a close up of them . They said the insects head appears to be black , the thorax rust is rust colored and black body of course. They brought up the flea beetle but recommended the better pic before they can possibly id postively and make recommendations to get rid of them

I caught a few yesterday and put them in a glass jar. Just put them on ice. Hopefully will be able to get a better photo. Thanks for the suggestion!

Also, pretty sure it is not the Green Beetle Lytta. Will post soon.

Thanks to all!!!

Also, looks like they are moving on to other plants other than my daylilies. I noticed a few of them on a lemon tree. Hopefully they are not attacking that...