Blister beetles?

[Dutch]

I am finding them on my tomato plants.  I really don’t want to use diazinon or sevin on my tomatoes.  Will soapy spray kill them?  If not what might do the trick?

[fishinwrench]

Ya know what blows my mind?

I've lived 57 years without ever hearing of a "Blister Beetle".......Then MDC writes an article about them, and suddenly EVERYBODY has Blister Beetle issues.   😂

[Dutch]

1 hour ago, fishinwrench said:

Ya know what blows my mind?

I've lived 57 years without ever hearing of a "Blister Beetle".......Then MDC writes an article about them, and suddenly EVERYBODY has Blister Beetle issues.   😂

So you aren’t offering any advice on this.

[fishinwrench]

52 minutes ago, Dutch said:

So you aren’t offering any advice on this.

Sure.  

Pick them off by hand and throw them in a bucket of water.   How many could there possibly be?   

If there's so many that picking them off isn't an option..... Then scrap the plants and go buy you some 'maters.   

For what you are prepared to spend saving them, you could support your tomato habit for the remainder of Biden's presidency.  

[aarchdale@coresleep.com]

Maybe they can be used for bait like crickets

[Dutch]

8 minutes ago, aarchdale@coresleep.com said:

Maybe they can be used for bait like crickets

You can have all of them you want to pick.

[fishinwrench]

Just curious.   Did you know about blister beetles before the published article?  

[snagged in outlet 3]

1 hour ago, Dutch said:

You can have all of them you want to pick.

Hose em off maybe?

[jdmidwest]

Blister beetles have been around for years.  I would not recommend handling them.  They secrete a liquid that raises a blister on your skin.  Its a big watery blister that itches.

Most I remember are either gray with a black strip or yellowish orange with a black strip.  Small head and thorax with a longer abdomen.

[BilletHead]

1 hour ago, fishinwrench said:

Just curious.   Did you know about blister beetles before the published article?  

                      About fifteen years ago over at my parents under a mercury vapor light at night there we beetles flying all around. One landed on my neck. I tried to brush it off and as JD said it secreted a liquid on my neck which burned. Yes a big painful blister formed. That is when I found out what they were.