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Asparagus

Insecticide

This pest eats the culinary asparagus foliage and outer bark, causing growth above that point to dry up and turn brown.

Damage is caused by both the larvae and the adult beetles.

The adult beetles are 6-8mm (1/4”-3/8”) long have black heads and reddish thorax.

The wing markings are quite distinctive with three pairs of yellow squares on black wings with reddish margins.

Adult beetles emerge and begin laying eggs in May

They lay elongated black eggs on the stems and foliage.

There can be two or three generations of larvae from May to September.

To control them; remove larvae and adult beetles by hand

When fully fed the creamy/greyish 10mm long black grubs pupate in the soil.

When necessary, spray the young larvae with suitable pesticide, but please note these sprays have little or no effect on the adult beetle.

Similarly; many insecticides are unsuitable for use on culinary asparagus.

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