<nasty small white larvae with black "point" on them that attacks the roots. Then, they molt into these ugly looking tiny (about 1/16" ) ear wig looking things (they aren't earwigs, not the ones we have around here normally), their bottoms are red and the front is black, and they can and do fly out of the dirt! >

Sorry but that could be any number of insects. Need some clarification.

Are the "small white larvae" like grubs? Are they in the soil or on the plant? Is the 'look like earwigs' an interim stage before flying or is the flying stage later. Does it have the rear pinchers as earwigs do. At 1/16" it is much smaller than earwigs, more the size of an ant. Do they have segmented bodies or do they look like beetles? What stage is red and black?

And exactly what type of damage did they do to the tomato plants - eat holes in leaves, eat roots, change the color of the plants, etc?

I assume you are not located in Texas, correct? If no, where as that gives us clues to common pests and life cycles.

Why Bt - it only works on caterpillars and they have to eat it to work. And why are you using manure in pots? What else is mixed in your growing medium?

Dave

Photos of all sorts of red and black bugs to check out

Yes, as per Dave ;-) And as well, regular Bt is not toxic for much besides Lepidoptera (moths and butterflies' larva). That doesn't ring an obvious bell, but look up different wireworms (click beetles) that can be reddish and even orange/black ladybug larva, since it's hard to tell which you refer to with color and there are so many possibilities. And more earwigs, too! Can you try to get a pic?

PC

I know my insects pretty well, but this description does not clue me into anything in particular.

Nope, I'm in Pennsylvania, but we got some cow manure that was from Texas and these buggers were in it. The adults look like small ear wigs and where their pincher is is red, the middle part is black and their head is red. That's as close as I can get to what they look like. I've bought and applied some predatory nematodes that are supposed to go deep in the soil so I pray to God that they can control these evil bugs.

I will try to get a picture if these little nematodes don't work. I hope they do so these bugs go back to the level of heck they came from.

Thanks everyone! :)