ediej I was wondering about Mexican bean beetle controls, too, as I know they're very difficult to deal with. The site linked at the bottom says this: ===== Affected Plants: Beans. Damage: Beetles skeletonize leaves, leaving them shredded and dried out. Plants eventually die. Predator Insects: Ladybugs, Pediobius wasps for larvae. Natural Insecticides: Rotenone and pyrethrum, rotenone dust, sabadilla, summer horticultural oil spray. Other Methods of Control: Destroy eggs. Hand pick beetles. Keep garden clean and free of debris, especially after harvest to prevent egg-laying. Plant early to miss the insect's season. Plant nasturtiums, marigolds, savory and garlic nearby. Plant resistant varieties. ===== I was VERY glad to see that bee, too. There must be a wild hive somewhere around. You might be surprised at how many other pollinator bees there are that fill in for missing honey bees. Here's another list of pollinator insects, including flies and wasps, etc. Here is a link that might be useful: Mexican bean beetle controls

Randy, I just got through studying insects/IPM in my MG class and you are so right, it is important to know which ones are the good guys and which ones are the bad guys. It is also important to have a "tolerance" for a certain level of the bad bugs until the good bugs have a chance to come along to take care of them. Thank you for posting the link. Carol

i though lime was a soil amendment ... i can not comment on what your 'heard' .... mostly because i cant hear it ... to gauge the veracity of such ken from kims link above: Management of earwigs requires an integrated program that takes advantage of their habitat preferences. As moisture-loving insects, earwigs wouldnâÂÂt normally thrive in CaliforniaâÂÂs arid climate without the moisture and shade provided by irrigated gardens. Where earwigs are a problem, consider reducing hiding places and surface moisture levels. Initiate a regular trapping program. If these measures are followed, insecticide treatments shouldnâÂÂt be necessary. Baits are available for earwigs but often arenâÂÂt very effective. Keep in mind that earwigs are omnivores and are beneficial in some situations, such as when they feed on aphids, and donâÂÂt need to be managed in many situations.

Well you begin by Googling 'common pests of tomatoes'. Then once you have your list you Google each pest individually and begin to learn about each of them. In the process of learning about each you'll discover how they reproduce, what their eggs, if any, look like, what their larvae and various instar stages look like, what their life cycle is and how many cycles they have per year in your area, what parts of the plant they attack, and lastly effective treatments for controlling them. You likely won't find all possibilities because as I said, insects are opportunists. They have their favorite crops but they will take advantage of tomatoes if their preferred crop isn't available. Dave