Itsy Bitsy TeenyWeeny Yellow Polka Dot… Bug

For anyone that has a garden, pests can be a big problem One of the little buggers that have been getting us lately is the cucumber beetle.

They might look kind of cute, like a lady bug. Ladybugs are actually beneficial insects to have around. As cute as their name is, they are actually one of the most ferocious predators in the garden and love to eat aphids. Cucumber beetles, however, are not nearly as nice to your garden.

Cucumber beetles like to munch on plants. Usually this doesn’t cause a huge problem for the plant’s growth but makes the garden look ragged and torn up. Once the plants start to produce they can move onto your precious crops and cause damage there. Nobody wants to share their food with a bug…

Although the damage on the leaves rarely kills the plant, the real reason these pests are dangerous is because they can carry disease to your garden. Cucumber beetles are known to carry bacterial wilt and mosaic virus, to name a few, which could potentially kill your entire field!

There are a few organic ways to take care of your cucumber beetle problem if you have a small garden and can’t justify the costs of expensive chemicals or ways to apply them. The Farmer’s Almanac is a great way to get tips on just about any problems you may have in the garden.

Here are some suggested ways to get rid of these pesky intruders. http://www.almanac.com/pest/cucumber-beetles

Keep an eye out for tears on the leaves of your plants. You may not see any bugs since they like to come out at night and early morning when it’s cooler. The tattered leaves are a clear indicator that something is amiss.

Get to know your farm!