My question regards a little bit of what I think is a pest problem. The box elder bugs are out and about, and I have noticed a few crawling around on the foliage of my Dahlia. In a few places, there are holes developing on the foliage, starting from the middle of the leaf on outward. I have been told by several sources that that box elder bugs do not eat Dahlias, and that they are merely an annoyance; not a problem. there are no other bugs on my Dahlia, in fact it is a very healthy plant, save for some water damage from the rain on a few leaves.

I am contemplating using an insecticide/pesticide on the plant, but I am not sure if it is the right decision. I am very 'pro-natural' - no chemicals, no preservatives in my food, etc. But I really do want to make sure that my plant stays healthy and pest free...any remedies, products, or possible suggestions as to what the true problem may be? If pictures needed, I can provide.

Thanks!

However, you've got box elders, not beetles. I do not know how exactly to combat them, but look into ladybugs. You can buy them by the thousands for roughly ten dollars. They eat several garden pests, and they're kind of nice to have around (granted, they sell them in such large numbers because likely half of your purchase will just fly away)