A New Gahden Enemy

If you’ve been following me for a bit, you may recall I’ve done battle in the gahden, primarily with aphids, squirrels, rabbits, and marauding rodents. There also may be raccoons, but they have not yet been caught in the act. I recently spotted one hanging out on the third floor back deck railing of the house across the yard. Earlier this year, my sunflower plants got eaten before the flowers even bloomed and the culprit left a 2-foot stalk. Me thinks that’s a tad too high for a rabbit, but I’ve learned not to underestimate urban critters.

Anywho, all the rain this year brought a new enemy, which I’m pretty sure is the Lema daturaphila, otherwise known as a three-lined potato beetle. Despite their name, they favor tomatillo plants and guess what I decided to try this year? With all the rain, among the aphid infestation, I found this bugger chomping, fornicating, and laying eggs on my 2 tomatillo plants. Two measly plants. Dude, go find a bigger patch.

I was neem oiling the hell out of the other plants to get the aphids under control, but the beetle has no problem with neem oil. As a side note, I did learn that discrimination is the best part of spraying neem oil. Note to self: read the instructions about not blasting small or tender plants before you spray the small and tender plants. Bean plants, I’m very sorry, and thank you for soldiering on in the aftermath.

With the beetle, it became clear this was going to have to get done with personal hand-to-shell combat, and I have been picking it off, squishing couples in the act, and pinching off leaves with eggs and larva for a month now.

The beetles enjoy plants in the nightshade family, so I also found it sniffing around one of my pepper plants. I haven’t seen any evidence of the varmint, but the plant is struggling. Yes, I’m pointing fingers.

I went camping for 4 crucial days at the height of the spraying and squishing, and didn’t know what I’d find when I got back. Luckily the aphids stood down, and the beetle is under control but not gone. But I’m watching you beetle, and patrolling the gahden every day. Do not test me. And go get a room for heavens sake.