It is a little out of focus but it looks like a Lady Bug larva.

Silvershoes, I agree.

Woodyend, take a look at the link below. You might see your tee-tiny bug in the right column.

Here is a link that might be useful: Ladybugs and Larvae

To me it looks like a blury pic of a boxelder beetle. Do you have any Boxelder trees around? I dont, but still have them all over the place.

sorry, looking at the link anney provided, I'd agree w/ them. Boxelder bugs are flat and smooth, in comparison to those lady bug larvae.

This is the Ladybug larvae.

and more important what will kill it

Why? If any insect isn't doing any damage why does it need to be killed? 95% of the insects in the garden are beneficials so when in doubt please give them the benefit of the doubt. :)

Here is a link that might be useful: Lady Bug Larvae

Yippee hooray it looks like a Ladybird Beetle to me as well.
Thanks all.

Of all the beneficial predaceous insects, the ladybird beetles are perhaps the most important. Both adults and larvae feed on aphids, scale insects, and many other injurious species. The most outstanding success with ladybird beetles was their use to control cottony cushion scale on citrus in California. Ladybird beetles overwinter in the adult stage and often are found clustered together under debris in the winter http://entweb.clemson.edu/cuentres/cesheets/benefici/ce175.htm For more.. Here is a link that might be useful: [Ladybird Beetles](http://www.nysaes.cornell.edu/ent/biocontrol/predators/ladybintro.html)

If there are no wings or carapace and there are little black "hangiedoos" sticking out of the sides of the critter, I bet Ladybug larva.

Bad news Rob told me these are the bugs that are causing some of my tomatoes to look puny. He had several pictures and I got confused and posted the wrong one. Now I know that the white one is an aphid but what are the rusty red ones?
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Woodyend,

The rust bugs are the ahipds. The white part you are seeing is the skin of a aphid. They molt.

I had a huge problem with aphids about three years ago and posted my photos on this site to have them identified. :-)

Good luck,
Kim

they are all aphids. The white one appears to be an empty aphid carapace.

Thanks all.

What are the common tomato pests?

Aphids - tiny, green to black soft-bodied, winged or wingless insects that cluster on the underside of leaves or on stems. They are sucking insects that can cause curled and distorted leaves & stunted plants. Localized aphid infestations can be hand-picked or pruned out or blasted off the plants with water. Applications of insecticidal soap, horticultural oil, or Neem oil may also be effective. Aphids are a favorite food of lady beetles. Damsel bugs and the larvae of lacewings and flower flies are also effective predators of aphids. Many tiny wasps act as parasites of aphids as well so use even organic pesticides with care

Here is a link that might be useful: Garden web

...and use of high nitrogen fertilizers or over use of any fertilizers containing nitrogen attracts them to your plants. ;)

I assume the reason you have lady bug larvae is because you have aphids. Lady bugs feast on aphids.

I have them all over my yard in the summer ... seems they like to take a dip in my pool; but cannot get out. I rescue as many as I can and place them in the garden and on my rose bushes - Looks like they have been doing a good job keeping the "pests" at bay ...

Have never seen a little one before ~

~ Tom

Also, stressed out plants have accumulated nitrogen that they cannot use that feeds the little buggers, you'll never find a truly healthy tomato plant with an aphid infestation, invariably they'll go for the unhappy ones.

Aphids will infest ALL tomatoe plants, healthy or not.
Just let em spread about, youll see.....but guess what? youll still get to pick Maters Goo, goo...goooo!

A treatment for aphids, and don't use dishwashing detergent.

The recipe isn't new, but a lot of people have damaged their plants by using the wrong soap. I found several bars of Ivory Soap in the linen closet. They're old, and nobody likes them because they leave a scum on everything. I used a potato peeler to shave enough of the soap bar into warm water to make it cloudy -- it shaves off in tiny white granules, maybe because it's so old. Note: Ivory bar soap does have fragrance added, but only a very small amount. So use with care.

Ivory Claims

- The soap that floats.
- 99.44% pure.
- Simple. Naturally clean.
- Leaves skin feeling naturally clean.
- Contains no dyes or heavy perfumes or lotions.

Ingredients

Sodium tallowate, sodium cocoate or sodium palm kernelate, water, sodium chloride, sodium silicate, magnesium sulfate, and fragrance.

Here are the directions:

To prepare this soap spray you'll need the following ingredients:

Pure, white soap

Use our Original Oatmeal Soap or a store brand like Ivory. Make sure the soap has no dyes or fragrances since they can damage plant foliage. Also DO NOT use detergents such as liquid dish soap. Unlike soap which is organic, detergents are chemical cleaners and are toxic to most plants.

Light Vegetable Oil

Canola, corn, and safflower are all good examples of a light vegetable oil. It's important to make sure that it's a light vegetable oil, and not a heavy one such as peanut to ensure that the oil evaporates from the plant's leaves before they're smothered.

Water

Plain old tap water will do just fine.

Spray Bottle or Garden Sprayer

To apply the soap spray.

Making the soap spray

Drop the bar of white soap into a container such as a small bowl and add two cups of water. Allow the soap to sit in the water overnight or until enough of the soap has dissolved to make the water white and cloudy.

Once enough soap has dissolved, remove the soap bar from the water and pour the soap solution into your spray bottle or garden sprayer. Add 1/4 cup of vegetable oil, seal the sprayer and shake well.

Application

You can use the soap spray on all types of indoor or outdoor plants, including vegetables. Spray the infested plant well enough to thoroughly wet the leaf, making sure to get both the top and the bottom.

For light infestations a single application should be enough. For heavier infestations (especially on outdoor plants and trees), apply the soap spray every day for three days. Then once a week to control re-infestations.

How does the soap spray work?

Soft-bodied insects such as aphids breath through openings in the sides of their body. Pure white soap contains large molecules of fatty acids and glycerin that will clog those openings and essentially suffocate the pest. The vegetable oil is used as a sticking agent that allows more of the spray to stay on the leaf without dripping off. The soap spray that does drip off decomposes in the soil without affecting the plant. The spray that remains on the leaf evaporates after a day or two.

Super strength spray

For tougher insects such as cucumber beetles, Colorado beetles, various caterpillars, and similar pests, you can make a super-strength version of this spray by adding ground hot chili peppers. The heat of the peppers repels most chewing insects. (Note, however, that this spray can burn the leaves of some tender plants. Make sure to test it on a small area before dousing the entire plant.)

Here is a link that might be useful: Homemade Insecticidal Soap for Aphid Control

Actually, there are different types of dish soap, from what I've found. Dish soap is okay to use, dish detergent is the one not to use. I use a simple solution of soap, alcohol and water. Seems to work, or least keeps the numbers down, but you have to be diligent. Also, you are supposed to let it sit for 15 mins and then rinse. Don't leave it on, especially if this in the sun, or the plants may burn.
Mind you, hosing down the plants can knock a lot of them off too. And petting your plants help to squish them, and can be very satisfying!!!

Weirdest tomato pests I ever saw were Keel-backed Treehoppers covering the stems. The larvae are black and prickly and the adults have spines sticking out on the sides of their heads. This site has cool photos of them, aphids, and a lot of other strange bugs, if you scroll down.

Here is a link that might be useful: bug photos