07 June 2010

cuke beetles

Their numbers are definitely dropping. Last night I caught fifteen cucumber beetles off the Zucchini, and this morning only one. But that one had a very odd appearance. On its back a cluster of brown- eggs?
 I don't know what lays eggs on a cuke beetle. I looked up all the predatory insects I know: lacewing, ladybug, mantis, earwig, wolf spider... none of them have eggs that look like this. I don't think cuke beetles lay eggs on themselves, so I'm assuming these eggs belong to someone who will eat the beetles when they hatch. But I just wish I knew for sure.
Incidentally, I've learned that fireflies are my friends too- their larvae eat slugs! among other things. So I leave them alone when I find them on the plants. (No one seems certain what adult fireflies eat. Some think they don't eat at all.)

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