Pests on Blackberries

13 years ago

This is my first year having any sort of garden so I am at a loss for when I see random pests and how I can control them. I have noticed these bugs on my blackberry canes and on the fruit itself. I have attached a picture and assumed they were spider mites, however they are not red and majority of what I have been able to find online have been talking about red spider mites. I would like to know what these are and how to treat my blackberries as organically as possible. Any help is greatly appreciated! Thank you!

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Comments (4)

Iris GW
13 years ago
The first organic option is always to spray them off with the hose.
trianglejohn
13 years ago
It looks like a stink bug to me. It could be the newly introduced Brown Marmorated Stink Bug which will eat fruit (native stink bugs usually eat pests like spider mites). Its hard to tell in that photo.

Pests with hard outer shells can be hard to persuade to live elsewhere. If spraying with the garden hose doesn't work you could try just spritzing him with mild dish detergent (the strength you would use to wash dishes). If all else fails and you don't want to squish him with your hands you could buy a bottle of the new "Organic" bug sprays available at any garden center.
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dottie_in_charlotte
13 years ago
If he'll stay put you could try sprinkling him with food grade diatomaceous earth. It is supposedly effective on shelled insects (exoskeleton like beetles)
It's not an immediate kill but if the bugs/beetles are slow moving you could try it.
But, identify it first.
To me it looks like a beetle larva from the ladybeetle family (not necessarily the common ladybug or Asian ladybeetle)

If it's only a couple you are noticing don't worry about it.
ferroplasm Zone 7b
13 years ago
That looks like a stink bug instar; not an adult. White markings on the antenna are the most reliable way to ID as the brown marmorated stink bug. I'd squash it.