Re: what bug is this ?

On Mon, 06 Aug 2007 13:52:58 GMT, "Daniel B. Martin"
<daniel88b88martin@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
>  wrote in message
<_IFti.14910$zA4.12861@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> :

>Kevin Van Sant wrote:
>> Anyone recognize these guys?  Know how to deal with them?  (preferably
>> organically)
>
>Thanks for the good photo.   It helps to identify the 
>culprit: the striped
>blister beetle.   Google to find many good images.
>
>These BadGuys devour the foliage on my eggplants.   I avoid 
>the use
>of chemicals so I deal with this insect pest by hand-picking 
>and dropping
>them into a solution of water and liquid detergent.
>
> From what I've read, squa****ng the beetle between your 
>fingers will produce
>an ugly but not dangerous blister.   I've handled them 
>gently without ever
>getting a blister.   Their favorite defense is to drop to 
>the ground and scurry
>away under the garden mulch.   Therefore the recommended 
>method for hand-
>picking is to cup one hand under the leaf and use the other 
>to brush the
>insect into your cupped hand.   If practical, position a 
>container of soapy water
>under the left and brush the beetle directly into that.
>
>The population of striped blister beetles fluctuates from 
>year to year.   Last
>year they were numerous in my vegetable garden; this year 
>fewer have been
>found.
>
>Good luck.
>
>Daniel B. Martin
>


That's definately them.  Thanks for the ID.  I'll put on some gloves
and try to extract as many of them as I can find.

Kevin