So, overall, my garden stays pretty well in balance. I've seen slugs from time to time, but they're never really a problem. Squash vine borers haven't found my garden yet, thank god. Japanese beetles have, but all they ever seem to eat is smartweed (woohoo!). Leafminers are present, but all *they* ever seem to eat is velvetleaf (another weed). I saw squash bugs for the first time last year, but they didn't seem to do much damage (we'll have to see if they're in more force this coming year or not). I've never found any signs of aphid damage.

However, there is one bug that has done damage for the past couple years that I want to be ready for: leafhoppers. They love my eggplants, feeding on the undersides of the leaves, and I credit their predation for significantly diminished yields. What all your experiences with them, and what's the most mild way to control them? I usually have a pretty healthy spider population in the garden in general (as evidenced by the webs), but I've never seen any signs of any sort of predators prowling around my eggplants.