Weird

[AdiBooker]

Hi, this morning i came across with weird looking pest, at first glance i was sure it was a caterpillar but than i saw it as 6 legs.
Just now i was looking at my other pepper plant and i saw one leaf with 3 orange eggs (i think) with white hair around it..
Any one know what are these things ?Are they connected ? Are they dangourse to my plants ? i took them of for being sure..

 

[bongcloud]

I'm pretty sure those are Mealybug Destroyers. 1st and 4th images are pupas, 2nd and 3rd are larvae. They are a ladybird species and are beneficial!

 

[Hybrid Mode 01]

     Yuck. Those things are gross! If I were you, I'd play it safe and burn my house down to keep them from spreading.

 

[AdiBooker]

Haha, i took the leaf off and got the creature away, but unlucky for me the guy who answerd befor you were right and this insect wes beneficial and eats aphids and it a major problem with my plants so next time i see him i bring a aphid right to him haha 

 

[Hybrid Mode 01]

     I took the cue from bongcloud ( ) and read up on mealybug destroyers. (Looks like a positive ID.) I found out that like ladybugs, they also eat flower pollen when their preferred food is scarce. If you want to maintain a resident population, maybe plant some marigolds or nasturtiums or some other plant with lots of flowers to keep them happy in your garden. I've had really good luck keeping regular ladybugs around doing that. Aphids f**king hate my garden.

 

[Hybrid Mode 01]

Haha, i took the leaf off and got the creature away, but unlucky for me the guy who answerd befor you were right and this insect wes beneficial and eats aphids and it a major problem with my plants so next time i see him i bring a aphid right to him haha 

 

     Sounds like you need to attract some more of them. Colorful, pollen-laden flowers are like restaurant billboards for beneficial insects. Plant a few and just kick back and relax while the aphid carnage ensues.

 

[Hybrid Mode 01]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B_O8TNX-9BU

 

[Chorizo857_62J]

Well, that was cool.  Kinda reminds me of my little dog playing with a chew toy.  Vicious little critter.

 

[Spicy Mushroom]

    marigolds or nasturtiums

Have you found one to be more effective for ladybugs? Are there flowers/plants to encourage Green Lacewings to stick around?

 

[Hybrid Mode 01]

Have you found one to be more effective for ladybugs? Are there flowers/plants to encourage Green Lacewings to stick around?

 

     If I had to choose only one, probably marigolds. I don't have any evidence to show that they're better though. Any low maintenance plant that keeps producing flowers all summer long is a winner I figure. Lantana is another good one because it can endure lots of neglect (forgetting to water). It can be in full sunlight with bone dry soil in >90o temps for a few days and perk up like nothing happened as soon as you remember to water it - without even dropping a flower. Plus it's pretty.
     Lacewings eat pollen and nectar just like ladybugs. I think any plant that attracts one will attract the other. Once I started planting flowers among the other plants in my garden I couldn't believe how many lacewing eggs I saw on all my plants.