What's on my calendula?

kbmbillups1

I picked several calendula flowers today and immediately my hand was covered with tiny bugs. Anyone know what they are and how to get rid of them? I picked all of the flowers and put DE on the plants. Below are several pictures so you guys can see how tiny they are and how many of them there are. After letting the flowers sit on my bench for a couple hours hoping the bugs would leave I put them in a tub of water and was SHOCKED at the number of bugs that came out of them!!

Torey

No idea but eewww!

Megan Venturella

I’ve had those on my calendula too! I always just let them dry outside and hoped the bugs disappeared. No idea what they are though.

Monek Marie

@kbmbillups1 Calendula does attract certain insects and bugs, some of which are good guys. (I am not sure what this is).

Is it causing damage?

I am also wondering if there would be a beneficial plant you could plant near it that would help the bug issue

kbmbillups1

@Monek Marie No they don't seem to be causing damage to the plant. I was drying the flowers to save but I don't want to save all those bugs or bring them in my house!

shllnzl

For your sake, I'm hoping that they are lacewing larvae, but wonder at the quantity of them. Do the flowers show damage?

The bugs are too little to see clearly. Check to see if they look like the following; if they do, no problem.

http://ipm.ucanr.edu/PMG/NE/green_lacewing.html

kbmbillups1

@shllnzl Thanks for the link. They really are too small to tell if that's what they are. No, they don't seem to be doing any damage to the plants. Hopefully, that's what they are!!

Monek Marie

@kbmbillups1

I have a work station/ table area anything goes to to be looked at and cleaned before in comes in the house.

Have you found an easy way to shake or remove those pests?

Tave

They look too small to be lacewing larvae, but they look similar from what little I can see.

kbmbillups1

@Monek Marie After letting them sit in water yesterday I've left them on the bench on my back porch. I still see a few of those tiny pests crawling around near them.

@Tave I tried to zoom in on the most focused picture but really can't tell much.

Two more flowers bloomed today. I just picked them and didn't see any of the tiny bugs on my hand. When I put the flower in water they started coming out. So hopefully they're less of them today! If not I guess I'll try more DE.

Monek Marie

@kbmbillups1 If its the lacewing they hatch out in 4 days, so if you can get them under control this time you may be able have a lot less of them later on.

They do control other pests. I wonder if a few sacrifical plants planted away from these would keep them away from you main flowers?

DE usually works quite well for me as a pest control. Once in a while I'll do a spray using all natural item, but it does have to have a touch of soap to help it cling to the plant.

Good luck!~

water2world

@kbmbillups1 YIKES!!! I have no idea, but keep us posted about what you did and what worked! Thanks

jowitt.europe

@kbmbillups1 what an interesting puzzle. No idea, but if they are babies of the lacewing, they are a big help in the garden, so I would let them free and alive.

when I collect my herbs, I always pour them on a cloth outside so that all the insects big and small have a chance to escape. I usually not pick anything with some living creature on it, but there are always some hidden ones.

When I am not sure whether it is a friend or a find on my herb, I usually give a plant a good strong shower and wash them away. And I usually give some natural strengthening fertiliser from nettles, comfrey and horsetail. Strong plants with no stress can protect themselves, so I strengthen them. It is like immune system in us. When we are strong, we are not afraid on any bugs.

kbmbillups1

Today in one of my beds I saw the remains of a coccon that a caterpillar had stated to make and 6 or 7 parasitic wasp eggs just barely hanging on. I sure hope they hatch and if whatever's on my calendula isn't friendly they'll feast on them!!