Hello, I hope you can help me I have searched and searched and I am at my Witt's end.

I posted 3 pictures I took in my garden of this pest. It is taking over and killing a rapid speed a well established 19 by 29 foot garden (of blood sweat and tears). I have tried 7 and it touches nothing to them. They move under a branch if they see me move close by and they are very small like.. bigger than a lady bug but smaller than black ant... between the two. I am desperate they are slowly taking over... Right now they are favoring my cone flowers, butterfly bush, sage, chocolate mint, saliva, and perennial geraniums. They have stayed away from (and are right next to them) keys to heaven, hydrangeas, chrysanthemums, bachelor buttons and chives.

I live in the Toledo Ohio area out by oak openings park. (airport area). We have sandy soil. Below is my blog that I have posted 3 pictures that I took of them feasting away. Thank You so much for your consideration, please help me. Thanks You. PS Some have guessed box elders, but they do not look like this in our area and they never got to plants before. They are more black with red these are VERY red with black. They do smash easily between the fingers of my gloved hands, if you can catch them. But there are many and multiplying. :( blog link below...

Hidden Treasures Antiques & Gifts (http://sellersarena.com/SABlogs/hiddentreasures/)

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Hope to hear from you soon!

Hi! Sherrie, and Welcome to AMHD :)

If you check this link: Detailed information on Four-lined Plant Bug (Poecilocapsus lineatus) (http://foxyurl.com/4WG) , and click on the pix by rosaliz it shows a four lined plant bug. That might be it.

Kind Regards,

KUXJ

Sent to me on my blog page:


Hi! Sherrie,
Saw your cry for help on Ask Me Help Desk, and if you check this link: Detailed information on Four-lined Plant Bug (Poecilocapsus lineatus) (http://foxyurl.com/4WG) , and click on the pix by rosaliz it shows a four lined plant bug.


This is it a guy at a site I joined found it... got to read how to get rid of it but have to go to work... got time read a way! It is the red one... click away.. looks like I could have wrote these comments left by these various people. Sherrie


This is a quote from my blog I left... I cannot thank You enough!! I have to research after work today how to get rid of the pains.. but thanks you again! We have rain last 2 days buying me time and slowing them down. Best of everything! Hidden.. aka Sherrie

Hi! Sherrie, Your Welcome very much! :)

Head Start for you.
Noticed your blog doesn't convert FF tinyURL's to name of web page so I added a short description.

This one is main search:
Control four lined bugs - Google Search (http://foxyurl.com/4Zx) Google, control four lined bugs

The next two go right to your perpetrator.
Cornell Entomology at Ithaca - Fourlined Plant Bug (http://foxyurl.com/4Zi) Cornell Insect Diagnostic Lab
IPM UCONN Four-Lined Plant Bug (http://foxyurl.com/4Zv) U. of Conn. Integrated Pest Mg.

Both have areas for management/control of your bugger.
Both suggest Insecticidal Soap. Safer/organic
In lieu of that, then go to pesticide, a dedicated garden shop or Nursery get one specific or includes Four lined Bugs.
Will be more dangerous, can be harmful to other plants, and require a wait time for edibles.

Duplicate post to AMHD What is this bug? How Can I get rid of it? (http://foxyurl.com/504)

Got to go, will check back later...

KUXJ You are a life saver!! I thought I fixed that tinyurl it stopped working and I put in the long one, must have missed a spot correcting one link. Thanks for the heads up!

Sherrie

Jerry and Steve, Thank You so much for your support and help! I did find a bit about these bugs being new to our region and that they are multiplying rapidly through other regions. I lost the bookmark somehow and cannot find it again to post the link here for further reading of my followers and you all. I am sharing this info. With my fellow gardeners so that they keep a look out.

Steve, what can I say? You have saved my nerves, my time and my garden hopefully, with your great surfing and know how. Cannot thank you enough! Stop back here time and again and on ASK Me Help Desk and I will keep you up dated on results.
If you ever need any help with antiques and collectibles, cleaning and or early childhood issues and some gardening…I'm your gal!

Hope to keep seeing you around!
Sherrie

Welllll... You could rate my answer, It'll help in adding to my Reputation... :rolleyes:

Check and see if the rating I did went to you like I wanted... so new that I had no idea about ratings. You got an excellent... want to make sure you got it! Sherrie

Check and see if the rating I did went to you like i wanted...so new that I had no idea about ratings. You got an excellent...want to make sure you got it! SherrieHi! Sherrie,
Just checked, If you used the rating at the top right of your original post, what you did was give a rating to the thread. Which is still okay. :)

Follow these guidelines found here: Ask Me Help Desk - FAQ: <u>Additional features used with posting questions and answers</u> (http://foxyurl.com/59i)

How do I rate an answer?
Yes. In most topics, users are encouraged to rate the answer given by our members.
Simply click the "Rate this answer" button that appears under members' answers. This gives you the opportunity to say whether you found the answer helpful or not - and include a comment as to why.
Your rating, along with your comment, will then appear with that member's answer.

In this case you would go back to your original post. Go to my answer directly below your OP, and click on the "Rate this answer button".
Fill out the box, leave a comment why the answer was so brilliant :rolleyes:
Then click on the "Rate this answer button" that will take you back to where you started, and your done.

It will also show in that member's profile page.

Best Regards... KUXJ

Thanks again KUXJ! Awesome all the way!

Awww... Shucks... Sherrie... Your welcome! :)

Welllll............You could rate my answer, It'll help in adding to my Reputation......:rolleyes:
LOL I did it! But thank you!