Swimming Lessons with the Harlequin Cabbage Bug

The mustard greens have been descended upon by these voracious eaters and pro-creators.   The bright red with black stripes make them stand out nicely against my greens.  I appreciate this as I enter the garden with my bucket of soapy water and invitations to a buggy pool party.

In our area we have about three generations per year.  I find them in groups of 2, 3, and 4 madly working on creating that younger generation.  With only 50 to 80 days to complete a life, they've got priorities.

Murgantia histrionica

Loners are sucking the life out of the leaves of my mustard, taking a break and refreshing for the next round of whoppee.  Further north, they have only one generation in the growing season.  And Yankees think southerners are slow - pfft!

The eggs they lay can generally be found on the backsides of leaves.  Just like the adult, the eggs are striking in appearance - little cylinders in black and white, lined up perfectly in sets of 12.   Eggs can take as little as 4 days to as long as 29 days to hatch.  The length of time required varies with the temperature.

At first, the pool gets crowded pretty quickly.  But with each day of lessons, the greens are quieter with fewer and fewer harlequins making merry.

They don't bite so I pick them bare handed.  I find it easier to get the bug without damaging the leaf they are sitting on that way.  With a gloved hand I'm prone to tearing leaves as I pick.  The colorful marauders are very cooperative, staying right where they are as I work through the leaves.

This drowned pair was retrieved from my bucket.  Even their undersides are pretty, with the red and black patterning carried over to that side. I wish I could convince them to eat the @#$*!  bermuda grass instead of the mustard.