Help fighting with Basil bug - with photos

17 years ago

Hi everyone,

I'm fighting with basil bug now by going out everymorning to see if there is any bug eating my basil. I'm wondering if there is a better way to elimate the problem completely, or have get it under control. These bugs look like ladybug, but is yellow and not round. There are the photos of the bugs:

There are the kind of damage it does, it's very grose to eat the leave that's chewed/poop by the bug:

Also, my basil started to flower, and I have been pinching them off. The yield is getting less and less not just because the bug ate it, but also because the left is getting smaller and smaller. When my basil first grow last months, the leaves are big and flat, now the leaves are small and kind of wrinkle. Is it time to grow from seed ago so I will have more in October?

Thanks!

Comments (7)

Heathen1
17 years ago
I love this site... http://whatsthatbug.com/ but I can't find that particular one...
Heathen1
17 years ago
I think it's the spotted cucumber beetle

Here is a link that might be useful: spotted cucumber beetle
Related Professionals
Brentwood Landscape Contractors · Wake Forest Landscape Contractors · Cerritos Landscape Contractors · Coram Landscape Contractors · Cudahy Landscape Contractors · Fair Lawn Landscape Contractors · Kearny Landscape Contractors · Los Banos Landscape Contractors · Methuen Landscape Contractors · Norristown Landscape Contractors · Tehachapi Landscape Contractors · Waltham Landscape Contractors · Kissimmee Roofing & Gutters · Burlington Roofing & Gutters · Robbinsdale Roofing & Gutters
Amino_X
17 years ago
Uh oh! I've found a couple of these on my cucumbers and thought they were ladybugs!!!

WOW! Thanks for the info! I'll start squashing them.

Best Wishes
Amino-X
mosesong
Original Author
17 years ago
Bad news..... I believe these are spotted cucumber bettles. I went to the local gardening center and ask for suggestion to fix the problem since I couldn't find anything online. I was told they have some chemical that will kill the thing including the eggs. They asked me how serious is my problem, I told them it's on my basil. I was recommended not to use their solution. They're curious about it since these "cucumber bugs" only appear in big plant like squash melon type of crops. I told him it's okay and I will start from basil seeds. For now I will have to harvest all the basil leaves I have left, destroy the plant, and start the seeding. I'm not sure what to do next year as I was told they lay egg and hide themself in ground then come back....
maifleur01
17 years ago
Mosesong, just cut the damaged leaves off no need to destroy plant. With 2 1/2 months left of growning season unless your plants only send up seed stalks you should get at least one more harvest of leaves. The spotted cucumber bettles are not the ones that lay eggs in the stalk of vines. Spotted cucumber bettles lay eggs on the surface of plants. Yes they could come back next year but removing the surface trash will help combat the problem. Perhaps someone could suggest something you could try early next spring to lessen the problem.
Amino_X
17 years ago
Why not tent the plants?

Get yourself some really light "Summerweight" garden fabric that allows sunlight to penetrate and make a large, loose tent secured at the bottom. That should keep the little buggers at bay. :)

Best Wishes
Amino-X
mosesong
Original Author
17 years ago
Maifler, thanks for the headsup. The basil start to flower like crazy so I thought start seeding again is better off trying to pinch the flower and deal with the bug.

Amino, I think I will put up a fabric next year when I have my raise bed herb planters. Right now everything is in individual pot. One thing for sure is I learn about herb planting every year. Last year I grow herb in my apartment, now I just move into a house so things have change and I'm learning to cope with it. Next year I hope I will have better luck growing more exotic herbs/fruit.