Probably the best thing to do is post a picture, if you can, of the bugs. There are lots of people here who can help identify them.

What sort of damage are they doing?

Sounds like squash bugs, which are gunmetal grey as youngsters...

Anney - I believe you are right. They are gunmetal grey and there are millions of them. I went out again after I got DH settled. Well, I unhappily have decided it is too late. Everything is eaten up and when you turn a leaf over there are just too many. I pulled them up, and yes, they were even swarming over the soil. Next year, I will protect them with some covering of some kind. I am ready to just about throw in the towel for this year. I don't think the tomatoes even have that good flavor. Our weather just hasn't been good for a garden. The green beans, beets, carrots and small early potatoes were okay, but for the other things, forget it. Thank you so much for trying to help. I don't know about the picture taking and sending--just haven't had the time to learn. If things lessen up a little, maybe I can then. Again, I appreciate your help. They just came in droves. - Barb

Barb

Yes, those suckers can multiply like the dickens when you can't keep a handle on their populations. I have spent HOURS in the garden knocking them into a can of soapy water and killing the eggs. They are nearly impossible to wipe out, even with "bad" chemicals and can overwinter in the soil, so they may be around next year, too.

Below is a comprehensive article that might have some useful information.

Here is a link that might be useful: Organic controls of squash bugs and squash vine borers

What about gathering some burnable materials and laying them all around that infested area and starting a fire. Something that will smolder and get the ground good and hot!

Also, if you get some of those yellow sticky cards, you might be able to know when the parents are flying about and begin the frequent spray with Neem oil in the early morning.

Nasturiums are suppose to repel squash bugs. Don't know, but they sure are pretty enough.

Check the picture I have attached. In this area are called blister beetles. You will see about 5 different life stages on your plants. One of the intermediate stages looks like a large red aphid. They lay their eggs in the ground.

Here is a link that might be useful: Blister Beetles

All those beetles are anthropods. As such, they all deposit their eggs by lowering their abdomen. This is one of the reasons Kaolin clay sprayed onto plants works to protect plants from anthropod insects. The clay gums up their parts and prevents them from depositing eggs. Also, the gray/white color of the plant is an unfamiliar landing place.

Burning garden waste is a very large waste of material and is no longer an acceptable organic method because of the air pollution it causes. According to the USEPA clays repel some insects from the leaves of plants and also from penetrating the leaves. I've seen nothing to insidate the caly "clogs" an insects parts, something that would be difficult for a dry product to do.
"Kaolin is a naturally occurring clay found in huge deposits around the world. Kaolin is generally inert, and does not react with other materials. It is insoluble in water. When used as a pesticide, kaolin is sprayed as a powdered suspension on crops, where it forms a barrier film that repels and prevents target pests from penetrating leaves or other parts of the plant. To be effective, the suspension must coat all parts of the plants"

It helps if you can reduce the numbers before spraying/treating with anything, Barb, so here's a hint for next year ~ use a dust buster on them first. It works pretty darn good ~ just don't forget to empty it before you bring it back in the house (ask me how I know this *snicker*).