What kind of bug?

[H.A.F.]

I am doing "living soil" gardening with no pesticides or anything, so there's good and bad bugs everywhere I'm sure. The's little guys have been on a few tomatoes and sunflowers and it looks like they harvest fluff. I thought those were folded up wings at first but they are carrying stuff.

 

[H.A.F.]

There are usually a pair of them, and they are pretty quick, moving to the other side of the plant if the camera gets too close - which makes me think beneficial? Unless it's clearing off a spot to start gnawing on the plant...

 

[Joebud]

There are usually a pair of them, and they are pretty quick, moving to the other side of the plant if the camera gets too close - which makes me think beneficial? Unless it's clearing off a spot to start gnawing on the plant...

Nice photo. I would guess it is harvesting fluff for a nest. Watch out for beatles that go inside the tomatoes and make them stink like a landfill

 

[Tvanmunhen]

Planthopper - Acanalonia bivittata

An online resource devoted to North American insects, spiders and their kin, offering identification, images, and information.

bugguide.net

 

[treefarmercharlie]

Planthoppers can do a lot of harm from what I understand.

 

[H.A.F.]

Thanks guys! Gotta wait for a day when the temps won't be near 100F and spray them in the morning. I'm thinking some Plant Therapy first to see what happens, then spinosad.

 

[H.A.F.]

I also have a fermented peppermint juice that smells like nail polish remover.

 

[Faneto]

We used to throw old cat litter near our gardens to rid certain pests away. I assume the ammonia aided in that. However, we had to stop doing that because we believe it attracted mountain lions and wolves more to our property. Now we just use peppermint oil by the gallon and for the most part, seems to do the job. Yea we get a bad tomato or something else here and there but nothing like when we leave the area untreated.

 

[Faneto]

Planthoppers can do a lot of harm from what I understand.

Any pests can do harm if given enough time to colonize. The hoppers just do it faster with a larger feeding habit.