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#286597 Jun 21st, 2009 at 05:17 AM
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Marica Offline OP
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Some times I wonder why it's so hard to find the answer to a such a simple question. I've looked everywhere-- and I do mean everywhere I can think of, including my zillion books-- and cannot figure this out. Description (sorry no picture):

*on underside of tomato leaves (typically lower leaves but not always)
*individual eggs about the size of a pin head, round, milky white or nearly translucent
*eggs in a flat mass of irregular shape, all touching, about the size of a dime, maybe 12-20 eggs in each mass

first appearance yesterday (zone 6), but as I recall from last year, they'll continue to show up for a month or two.

I've found pictures of similarly sized & massed eggs, but they're all yellow or orange-- bad guys.

I just want to be sure I'm not smashing the good guys.




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"No crime is involved in plagiarizing nature's ways" (Edward H. Faulkner, 1943, "Plowman's Folly," University of Oklahoma Press).
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Marica,
I have two ideas for your mystery egg mass. Try looking for "brown stink bug" or "bean leaf beatle."
Good luck-Matt

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Marica Offline OP
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Thanks! I think it must be brown stink bug b/c from what I've read, bean leaf beetle lays more eggs, and typically at the soil line. Plus I remember the stink bugs from last year. Auurghh.

That said, I think I must also have bean leaf beetles, too!



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"No crime is involved in plagiarizing nature's ways" (Edward H. Faulkner, 1943, "Plowman's Folly," University of Oklahoma Press).
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Dr. Pepper
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white...I should know this one, but, for sure the stink bug is a major damaging insect on tomatoes, I just don't recall seeng th eggs on tomaotoes, they typically move to tomatoes at nymph or adult stage...I'll pick my brain and try to remember if it's something else or not.


dave
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Let me offer this Iowa State Univ. site, it's one of the best I've seen
http://bugguide.net/node/view/15740

there's also a good one at Cornell

Last edited by peppereater; Jun 22nd, 2009 at 09:49 AM.

dave
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Marica Offline OP
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I noticed them last year, too, and the year before. They are most definitely on the underside of the tomato leaves.

In any case, I think it's safe for me to conclude they are not eggs of a 'beneficial' insect. So I can smush 'em at will!!

There's another good bug site at... Perdue. Here's the site for the index of pdf pages on insects & insect pest. Vegetable Insect Identification is particularly useful.

http://www.extension.purdue.edu/extmedia/ent.htm#13

Last edited by Marica; Jun 22nd, 2009 at 11:24 AM. Reason: added the link. duh.

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"No crime is involved in plagiarizing nature's ways" (Edward H. Faulkner, 1943, "Plowman's Folly," University of Oklahoma Press).

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