Unidentified Insect Clings to Oregano Leaf
The Little Monster in My Organic Garden
by Kimberly Hartke
Is it just me, or does it bug you that Lady Gaga calls her fans “my little monsters,” especially when she is the one that looks kinda creepy? Well, I went a little Gaga the other day, when I found a little monster in my organic garden. This has got to be the strangest insect I have ever laid eyes on.
Like a paparazzi, I went madly running for the camera. “Gotta capture this for my blog!,” I shouted to my husband. I returned to the garden, the bug hadn’t budged. Started snapping the most amazing pictures, until I realized there was no memory card in the camera. ARRGH!
On the edge (of blog photography glory), I scrambled frantically to grab another camera to borrow its memory card, desperately hoping my little creepy wouldn’t be gone when I got back.
Once I had the memory card put into the first camera, I noticed the battery had gone dead. ARRGGHH again! Beside myself, I thrust the memory card back into the point and shoot camera. It would not take a close up shot. Frustrated and thoroughly defeated, I thought I had failed to take the photo of the century.
Much to my surprise, when I downloaded other pix off the card, this amazing photo was on there. Somehow, I managed to get this one shot, even on a dead battery.
Entomology is the study of insects, and according to this Wikipedia listing, they make up 2/3 of the known1.3 million identified species on earth.
Now, I need an entomologist or at least a more experienced gardener, to help me name this crawling thing who has taken residence on my oregano plant. Is this the little guy who has been eating the red chard next to the oregano? Chard, lunch, oregano, roost. If so, his commute is short. Nice life!
This weekend, when I sliced the first squash blossom to make my appetizer, a tiny little yellow lady bug crawled out. In the past, that would have been very upsetting (old mindset: bugs are dirty). These days, it made me kind of happy to know that the blossom was a safe hiding place for the pretty and popular lady bug (new mindset: bugs are evidence of healthy ecosystem). If the squash plant had been pesticide laden, it may have been more inhospitable!
Right now, as part of the Sowing Millions project, I am starting some new seeds, indoors. On my kitchen table I have organic Blue Flax, Broccoli, and Lobelia in starter pots. I received these from Seeds of Change, sponsors of an effort to get America growing organic gardens. And, today, I am going to submit this photo of Mr. Mysterious Bug aka little monster to the Seeds of Change virtual garden. Surely, someone must know this insects name!
For now, I will just dub him “Alejandro.” The perfect stage name, don’t you agree? Once this insect is discovered by Hollywood, I am sure it will inspire a scary costume for some future Sci-Fi horror flick.
Do you recognize this critter? Someone out there should be able to tell me if he is friend or foe! If foe, I then will need to research organic pest control measures that I can take, to make sure he doesn’t eat all my backyard crops!
Read on to see how you can participate in the Sowing Millions Project.
Please Fan & Follow Seeds of Change
Please Fan & Follow Seeds of Change
The Sowing Millions Project
The RealFoodMedia.com bloggers are challenging our readers to grow organic gardens with us this spring/summer. Our goal? To sow millions of organic seeds in home gardens, farms and homesteads across America.
To particpate with us, fan the Seeds of Change in Facebook and join us in posting photos of your garden on the Seeds of Change facebook page and follow Seeds of Change in Twitter.
Post photos of your garden in the Virtual Garden by posting them on the Seeds of Change Facebook Wall and please include: (1) a photo caption and (2) a link to the Virtual Garden photo album: http://bit.ly/seedsofchangevirtualgarden.
Join us for our monthly Tweet Chat. And, when tweeting about your garden, use hashtag #sowingmillions.
Check our Resources page for sources of seeds and gardening supplies.
Please note: I wrote this post while participating in the Sowing Millions Project by Real Food Media on behalf of Seeds of Change. I received product and exclusive content to facilitate my post. My thoughts and opinions are my own and not of those of Real Food Media or Seeds of Change.
Kimberly Hartke is a health and wellness blogger, with a penchant for local foods and backyard gardening.
I would have never imagined that I would be blogging, or that I would join a group like Real Food Media. None of this would have happened without you. I mean more than the help you have given me, though I appreciate it very much. I also mean seeing the great good you do with your blog, with supporting WAPF, with advocating real food and the great info you provide on so many issues. There is such a desperate need for this information. You are an inspiration to me. Thank you for being who you are, and for doing what you do.
I appreciate that you are first trying to find out if this bug needs to be removed or not. Maybe he’s there, ready to feast on whatever is eating your chard.
Something I have found helpful this year in terms of pest control is diatomaceous earth. Early on I had flea beetles eating my kale and so I dusted d. earth on the leaves for a few days and the beetles are gone and haven’t come back even though its been weeks since I stopped dusting.
Oh, wouldn’t that be organic! The Darth Vader Bug Going After the Chard
Eaters. Hopeful!
I don’t know their exact name, but here we call them “stinkbugs.” Squash one and you’ll find out why!
I don’t know their exact name, but here we call them “stinkbugs.” Squash one and you’ll find out why!
Now, Peggy, I am trying to live in harmony with nature!
I don’t want to squash any bugs, especially if they are stinky!
Whew! I’m glad you didn’t after reading the dragonfly nymph response! It does look a lot like a stinkbug, but the shield is slightly different. I’ll look more carefully! I don’t actually squish them because of the horrible smell, but I have no problem dropping harmful or invasive bugs into a cup of water (or into the compost pile). Just like weeds, certain things have to get out of the way of my garden!
The insect could well be a weevil of some kind, usually pests, but a bit hard to tell without a side view & more closeup! Being organic, if you had chickens, they’d probably like it!
Regards Dennis
The insect could well be a weevil of some kind, usually pests, but a bit hard to tell without a side view & more closeup! Being organic, if you had chickens, they’d probably like it!
Regards Dennis
Hi Kimberly,
You have an immature dragonfly (dragonfly nymph). They come out of the water when they are ready to change into an adult.
Good thing you didn’t kill him – they are VERY beneficial!
P.S. I used to categorize all these little stream insects when I did a research internship at Valley Forge National Park. I love little creepy crawlies!
Wow, Melissa, thanks so much! That is way too amazing that you knew this
little guy. We live on a lake so maybe that is why it is in my garden.
Yesterday, a full blown dragonfly got into our car when we took a drive
in the country. So different than this nymph.
Thanks, loads!
Glad I could help. The little guy looks like he’s holding on pretty tight to that leaf. That’s probably the place it picked for its transformation. Check back and you’ll probably find just the exuvia (fancy word for shed skin).
The weird-looking thing on its back is where the wings are forming. That’s one of the giveaways that’s it’s a juvenile insect.
I seriously thought about becoming an entomologist, but alas, most of the jobs require you to find new and improved ways to kill them. I have always had a catch-and-release policy in my home, so it was not the career path for me…
Remember that comedy where Bette Midler is kidnapped, and the kidnapper
caught and released a bug outside, rather than kill it? I laughed out
loud! Ever since then, I have tried to save the life of bugs!
I don’t remember that movie – I’ll have to check it out.
I found a nice short video about the dragonfly nymph. They are very interesting little creatures.
For some reason my iPad isn’t allowing me to paste the link, so just go to YouTube and search for “dragonfly nymph zoology.”
Just as an FYI, they can deliver a pretty nasty bite.
I checked on the nymph, it is on the same leaf and it looks like the
hind end is elongating! I will have to check the video. This is such a
fun discovery.
Since they bite, it is good I didn’t try and smash it to see if it stunk!
Hello, hate to jump in so late here, but….. I think that what you have is a green lacewing larvae. Lacewings are very beneficial to the garden, eating tons of aphids. I think this may help:
http://www.arbico-organics.com/category/Green-Lacewings-chrysoperla-beneficial-insects
Good Luck,
Shaun
Thanks so much Shaun~