Tomato pests

[thepurpleempire]

Hi everyone

Comments

[strega_mama]

ok, i found instance of these mentioned in both a pakistani blog, and this site mentions them being in california, so i think it's safe to asume they are pretty wide spread.
I believe that they are southern green stink bug nymphs
http://www.whatsthatbug.com/2006/09/22/southern-green-stink-bug-nymph/

i hope that help you. lol i hate doing bug research, the pictures always gross me out. but if it helps someone, i think it's worth it.

[strega_mama]

also, with a little more research i found this to help you with them: http://www.ehow.com/how_4457408_control-stinkbugs-garden.html

can i has cookie for my super-sleuth skills?

[thepurpleempire]

YES!!! That's them!! I'm a little embarrassed, I had googled everything I could think of but clearly not the right thing. Thank you so much, that was incredibly helpful. You can have a whole bucket of cookies :)

[strega_mama]

it's ok, i had a little trouble finding em too ^_^;

[leeneh]

These are stinkbugs or shield bugs. Pretty but nasty. I'm not squeamish about killing them, so when I take my daily round in the garden I bring a jar half full of soapy water and a spoon and just poke the bugs I encounter into the soapy water with the spoon. Planting smelly herbs and flowers around the garden and inbetween the tomatoes helps to keep them (and also other nasties) away, like tagetes, chrysanthemums, lavender, garlic, radish, catnip, thyme and mint. Once a day, preferably around sundown, you can give the infested plants a good hosing down. I haven't tried this latter because of water rationing, but I hear it works well to get the bugs off and keep them off.

Edit: added word for clarification

[thepurpleempire]

Yeah, I can't hose them down here either on account of the water restrictions, but the rest of your suggestions are really helpful, thanks :)