As most people know bees are a huge pollinator and essential part of the ecosystem. These beneficial critters help us out on the garden a lot, however these wonderful creatures have a mortal enemy. Pests. Creatures that sneak out when your back is turned and munch down your healthy crops. These creatures are know by many names, but there is one in particular that truly devastates our beloved compost crop, Fava Beans. This pest is called a cucumber beetle. It crawls around on the plants and when it finds a particularly tasty spot it munches down causing holes through out the leaves.
Now what makes these beetles so deadly? First off these little guys emerge from hibernation early in the season in order to gobble up all the emerging seedlings. The seeds that make it to maturity will suffer and even worse fate. The adult cucumber beetles will eat away at the stock, leaves, and flowers of a plant and their larvae will feed on the roots. Whats worse is that these bugs can also carry bacterial viruses and diseases from plant to plant. So even after you think you have ridded yourself of these plant eaters they may have infected your garden with bacterial wilt or the mosaic virus.
If you have had the misfortune of dealing with this pest than do your best to keep a watchful eye over newly planted seedlings. Be sure to also take them off of your crop when you can for the reasons listed above.
Aidan Rankin-Williams
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